sked Alice. "It's too amusing."

"They'll think I didn't come," said Mavering, with the easy conscience
of youth and love; and again they laughed at the ridiculous position
together. "I remember now I was to be at the door, and they were to
take me up in their carriage. I wonder how long they waited? You put
everything else out of my head."

"Do you think I'll keep it out?" she asked archly.

"Oh yes; there is nothing else but you now."

The eyes that she dropped, after a glance at him, glistened with tears.

A lump came into his throat. "Do you suppose," he asked huskily, "that
we can ever misunderstand each other again?"

"Never. I see everything clearly now. We shall trust each other
implicitly, and at the least thing that isn't clear we can speak.
Promise me that you'll speak."

"I will, Alice. But after this all will be clear. We shall deal with
each other as we do with ourselves."

"Yes; that will be the way."

"And we mustn't wait for question from each other. We shall know--we
shall feel--when there's any misgiving, and then the one that's caused
it will speak."

"Yes," she sighed emphatically. "How perfectly you say it? But that's
because you feel it, because you are good."

They walked on, treading the air in a transport of fondness for each
other. Suddenly he stopped.

"Miss Pasmer, I feel it my duty to warn you that you're letting me go
home with you."

"Am I? How noble of you to tell me, Dan; for I know you don't want to
tell. Well, I might as well. But I sha'n't let you come in. You won't
try, will you? Promise me you won't try."

"I shall only want to come in the first door."

"What for?"

"What for? Oh, for half a second."

She turned away her face.

He went on. "This engagement has been such a very public affair, so far,
that I think I'd like to see my fiancee alone for a moment."

"I don't know what in the world you can have to say more."

He went into the first door with her, and then he went with her upstairs
to the door of Mrs. Pasmer's apartment. The passages of the Cavendish
were not well lighted; the little lane or alley that led down to this
door from the stairs landing was very dim.

"So dark here!" murmured Alice, in a low voice, somewhat tremulous.

"But not too dark."

XXV.

She burst into the room where her mother sat looking over some
housekeeping accounts. His kiss and his name were upon her lips; her
soul was full of him.

"Mamma!" she panted.

H