ost reverently at the little white hand
resting against his dark one.

Suddenly Tillie's eyes fixed themselves upon the open doorway, where
the smiling presence of Walter Fairchilds presented itself to her
startled gaze.

"Tillie! AND the Doc! Well, it's good to see you. May I break in on
your conference--I can see it '& important." He spoke lightly, but his
voice was vibrant with some restrained emotion. At the first sight of
him, Tillie's hand instinctively crept up to feel if those precious
curls were in their proper place. The care and devotion she had spent
upon them during all these weary, desolate months! And all because a
man--the one, only man--had once said they were pretty! Alas, Tillie,
for your Mennonite principles!

And now, at sight of the dear, familiar face and form, the girl
trembled and was speechless.

Not so the doctor. With a yell, he turned upon the visitor, grasped
both his hands, and nearly wrung them off.

"Hang me, of I was ever so glad to see a feller like wot I am you.
Teacher," he cried in huge delight, "the country's saved! Providence
fetched you here in the nick of time! You always was a friend to
Tillie, and you kin help her out now!"

Walter Fairchilds did not reply at first. He stood, gazing over the
doctor's shoulder at the new Tillie, transformed in countenance by the
deep waters through which she had passed in the five months that had
slipped round since he had gone out of her life; and so transformed in
appearance by the dropping of her Mennonite garb that he could hardly
believe the testimony of his eyes.

"Is it--is it really you, Tillie?" he said, holding out his hand. "And
aren't you even a little bit glad to see me?"

The familiar voice brought the life-blood back to her face. She took a
step toward him, both hands outstretched,--then, suddenly, she stopped
and her cheeks crimsoned. "Of course we're glad to see you--very!" she
said softly but constrainedly.

"Lemme tell you the news," shouted the doctor. "You 'll mebbe save
Tillie from goin' out there to her pop's farm ag'in! She's teacher at
William Penn, and her pop's over there at the Board meetin' now, havin'
her throwed off, and then he'll want to take her home to work herself
to death for him and all them baker's dozen of children he's got out
there! And Tillie she don't want to go--and waste all her nice
education that there way!"

Fairchilds took her hand and looked down into her shining eyes.

"I hardly