sh youthful beauty deepened itself for him.

"Perhaps he doesn't want me--"

"Yes, he does. That was plain as day."

Betty surveyed him from under her lashes. What could she do with this
man? Nothing affected him. He seemed to have crossed some intangible
barrier and to stand closer to her than any other man had ever stood.

"Do you still hate me, Betty--Miss Malroy--is there anything I can say
or do that will make you forgive me?" He looked at her penitently.

But Betty hardened her heart against him and prepared to keep him in
place. Remembering that he was still holding her hand, she recovered it.

"Will you sit down?" she indicated a chair. He seated himself and Betty
put a safe distance between them. "Are you staying in the neighborhood,
Mr. Carrington?" she asked, rather unkindly. How did he dare come here
when she had forgotten him and her annoyance? And now the sight of him
brought back memories of that disagreeable night on that horrid boat--he
had deceived her about that boat, too--she would never forgive him for
that--she had trusted him and he had clearly shown that he was not to be
trusted; and Betty closed her pretty mouth until it was a thin red line
and looked away that she might not see his hateful face.

"No, I'm not staying in the neighborhood. When I left you, I made up my
mind I'd wait at New Madrid until I could come on down here and say I
was sorry."

"And it's taken you all this time?"

Carrington regarded her seriously.

"I reckon I must have come for more time, Betty--Miss Malroy." In spite
of herself, Betty glowed under the caressing humor of his tone.

"Really--you must have chosen poorly then when you selected New Madrid.
It couldn't have been a good place for your purpose."

"I think if I could have made up my mind to stay there long enough, it
would have answered," said Carrington. "But when a down-river boat tied
up 'there yesterday it was more than I could stand. You 'see there's
danger in a town like New Madrid of getting too sorry. I thought we'd
better discuss this point--"

"Mayn't I show you Belle Plain?" asked Betty quickly.

But Carrington shook his head.

"I don't care anything about that," he said. "I didn't come here to see
Belle Plain."

"You certainly are candid," said Betty.

"I intend to be honest with you always."

"Dear me--but I don't know that I shall particularly like it. Do
you think it was quite fair to select the boat you did, or was your
resol