ed arms, his anger growing more intense with each passing instant as
he looked down into the girl's agonized face.

Had she done so very, very wrong in remaining in the conservatory, and
in listening to her betrothed make love to her rival? she wondered
vaguely.

Surely, she should have been the one to have cried out in bitter anger,
not he.

"Let me tell you how it all came about," she gasped, faintly.

"I--I was in the ball-room with Katy, when it grew so warm that I sent
for an ice. She did not return as soon as I had expected her, and--and I
groped my way out into the garden to await her there. But as I stepped
from the porch a wonderful thing happened, Harry. I--I missed my footing
and fell headlong down the steps to the graveled walk below, and the
shock restored my sight. Oh! look at me, Harry!" she exclaimed, with
quivering intensity, holding out her white arms toward him. "I can see
now. I can see your idolized face, oh, my beloved! I--I came here to
tell you this--to tell you the wonderful tidings! I intended to send to
the ball-room for you, but before I could put my intention into
execution I--I heard steps approaching, and drew back among the
screening leaves till they should pass. You came in with Iris Vincent,
and I heard what you said, and my brain whirled--I grew dazed. You--you
know the rest!"

He was not overwhelmed by the great tidings that she had regained her
sight, as she had expected he would be. Instead, he retorted brusquely:

"It was a pity that your sight returned to you to enable you to do so
dastardly a deed; and I am beginning to have my doubts whether or not
you have not been duping us all along, and, under that guise, spying
upon us--which seems to be your forte. This revelation makes me angrier
than ever," he went on, "for it leaves you with no possible hope of
pardon for your atrocious conduct, which merits the whole world's scorn
and contempt!"

"I see it all!" cried Dorothy, springing to her feet and facing him.
"You have prearranged this quarrel with me to break our betrothal, that
you might wed your new love--Iris Vincent. But, just for pure spite, I
will not release you--never! I will tell the whole world of your
duplicity. An engagement is a solemn thing. It takes two to enter into
it and two to break it."

The scorn on his handsome face deepened.

"I do not very well see how you can marry a man when he makes up his
mind not to have you," he declared. "That is a diffic