has
robbed me of all desire to talk. And what greater proof could I give
that I love you?" she continued with an arch glance. "It is surely a
mighty power indeed that makes a chatterbox like me to revel in
silence."

"How I love this dear old forest!" was Abner's exclamation presently.
"Every tree, every stick and stone, every foot of ground, seems sacred.
Do you not love it all, my darling?"

"I do indeed," she acknowledged. "In fact," she added laughingly, "I
think, by rights, this woods belongs exclusively to us and our love,
and I consider any one else guilty of sacrilegious effrontery in even
walking through its sacred precincts. But you don't appear in
especially radiant spirits, my friend, even though we are together in
our hallowed woods," she said presently as he walked silently by her
side.

"How can I be in radiant humor, Betty?" he retorted sadly. "This
restraint and concealment are becoming unendurable to me. We are nearly
to the bars now where you say I must turn back, and I must first have
some serious words with you. For three months and more, I have obeyed
your behest and have kept aloof from your house; but patience ceases to
be a virtue. I am no nearer winning your father to a more cordial frame
of mind than I was at first. On the contrary, in the few times I have
encountered him of late, he has appeared to be getting colder and more
formal, and I really believe this is due in a great measure to his
suspecting that there is a secret understanding between you and me. He
is a straightforward man and likes straightforward courses. Moreover,
how can I ever win his consent to our marriage unless I ask him? That's
only common sense; and furthermore, anything underhanded or clandestine
is as obnoxious to me as to him."

"Oh," she begged with a frightened look, "please wait a little longer.
He's sure to be in a more pliable humor after awhile, when this horrid
old church difficulty is settled. Oh, Abner, my love, I know it is
hard, but----"

"How hard," he interrupted gloomily, "you are far from realizing. These
miserable weeks of suppression and concealment have worn my patience
and self-control to the breaking-point. Now," he went on firmly, "I
will wait no longer. I will see your father to-morrow. Patience,
forsooth!" he ejaculated in answer to her further pleading, "when I'm
debarred from entering your home, must be satisfied with an occasional
stolen interview like this; when, too, I know that Jam