t?"

"I wasn't squeamish," he said; and then he told her about his father.
After that he philosophised a little, telling something of the best that
he conceived might be if men sought the highest ideal in lowly walks of
life, instead of seeking to perform imperfectly some nobler business. It
was wonderful how much better he could speak to her than to his brother,
but Sophia listened with such perfect assent that his sense of honour
again smote him.

"Art thinking of it all, love?" he said.

"I was wondering what colour of aprons you wore, and if I must make
them."

They began to walk home, passing now under the sumac's palm-like canopy,
and they saw the blue gleam of the singing river through red thickets.
Soon they came to a bit of open ground, all overgrown with bronzed
bracken, and maidenhair sere and pink, and blue-eyed asters and
golden-rod. So high and thick were the breeze-blown weeds that the only
place to set the feet was a very narrow path. Here Sophia walked first,
for they could not walk abreast, and as Alec watched her threading her
way with light elastic step, he became afraid once more, and tried to
break through her happy tranquillity.

"Dear love," he said, "I hope--"

"What now?" said she, for his tone was unrestful.

He trampled down flowers and ferns as he awkwardly tried to gain her
side.

"You know, dear, I have a sort of feeling that I've perhaps just
fascinated and entranced you--so that you are under a spell and don't
consider, you know."

It was exactly what he meant, and he said it; but how merrily she
laughed! Her happy laughter rang; the river laughed in answer, and the
woodpecker clapped applause.

But Alec blushed very much and stumbled upon the tangled weeds.

"I only meant--I--I didn't mean--That is the way I feel fascinated by
you, you know; and I suppose it might be the same--"

They walked on, she still advancing a few paces because she had the
path, he retarded because, in his attempt to come up with her, he was
knee-deep in flowers. But after a minute, observing that he was hurt in
his mind because of her laughter, she mocked him, laughing again, but
turned the sunshine of her loving face full upon him as she did so.

"Most fascinating and entrancing of butchers!" quoth she.

With that as she entered another thicket of sumac trees, he caught and
kissed her in its shade.

* * * * *

And there was one man who heard her words and saw