into
her lap. It was a simple movement and involuntary--like that of the
little brown quail when she slips from the sedge-grass into the
tangled depths of the blossoming wild blackberry bushes at the far
off flash of a sharp-shinned hawk-wing, up in the blue. Nor could she
say whether she saw it, or whether it was merely a shadow, an
instinctive signal from the innocent courts of the sky to the
brood-children of her innocence below.

But he saw it and said quickly, changing with it the subject: "At
least were--but all that has passed. I need you, Alice," he went on
passionately--"in my life, in my work. My home is there, waiting! It
has been waiting all these years for you--its mistress--the only
mistress it shall ever have. Your mother"--Alice looked at him
surprised.

"Your mother--you,--perhaps, had not thought of that--your mother
needs the rest and the care we could give her. Our lives are not
always our own," he went on gravely--"oftentimes it belongs partly to
others--for their happiness."

He felt that he was striking a winning chord.

"You can love me if you would say so," he said, bending low over her.

This time, when his hand fell on hers, she did not move. Surprised,
he looked into her eyes. There were tears there.

Travis knew when he had gone far enough. Reverently he kissed her
hand as he said:

"Never mind--in your own time, Alice. I can wait--I have waited long.
Twenty years," he added, patiently, even sweetly, "and if need be,
I'll wait twenty more."

"I'll go now," he said, after a moment.

She looked at him gratefully, and arose. "One moment, Richard," she
said--"but you were speaking of mother, and knowing your zeal for her
I was afraid you might--might--the mortgage has been troubling her."

"Oh, no--no"--he broke in quickly--"I did nothing--absolutely
nothing--though I wanted to for your sake."

"I'm so glad," she said--"we will manage somehow. I am so sensitive
about such things."

"I'll come to-morrow afternoon and bring your mare."

She smiled, surprised.

"Yes, your mare--I happened on her quite unexpectedly in Tennessee. I
have bought her for you--she is elegant, and I wish you to ride her
often. I have given Jim orders that no one but you shall ride her. If
it is a pretty day to-morrow I shall be around in the afternoon, and
we will ride down to the bluffs five miles away to see the sunset."

The trotters were at the door. He took her hand as he said good-bye,
and held