sit
down here for a bit."

"It is pretty," said Kathleen. "It's almost like a picture."

"I'm glad you're fond of beautiful things," said Michael earnestly.

"Well, one can't help it, can one?" sighed Kathleen.

"Some people can," said Michael darkly. "There's rather a good place to
sit over there," he added, pointing to a broken gate that marked the
entrance to an oak wood, and he faintly touched the sleeve of Kathleen's
blouse to guide her towards the chosen spot.

Then they sat leaning against the gate, she idly plucking sun-faded
primroses, he brooding upon the nearness of her hand. In such universal
placidity it could not be wrong to hold that hand wasting itself amid
small energies. Without looking into her eyes, without turning his gaze
from the great tranquil water before him, Michael took her hand in his
so lightly that save for the pulsing of his heart he scarcely knew he
held it. So he sat breathless, enduring pins and needles, tolerating
the uncertain pilgrimage of ants rather than move an inch and break the
yielding spell which made her his.

"Are you holding my hand?" she asked, after they had sat a long while
pensively.

"I suppose I am," said Michael. Then he turned and with full-blooded
cheeks and swimming eyes met unabashed Kathleen's demure and faintly
mocking glance.

"Do you think you ought to?" she enquired.

"I haven't thought anything about that," said Michael. "I simply thought
I wanted to."

"You're rather old for your age," she went on, with an inflection of
teazing surprize in her soft voice. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," said Michael simply.

"Goodness!" cried Kathleen, withdrawing her hand suddenly. "And I wonder
how old you think I am?"

"I suppose you're about twenty-five."

Kathleen got up and said in a brisk voice that destroyed all Michael's
bravery, "Come, let's be getting back. Norah will be thinking I'm lost."

Just when they were nearing the outskirts of Branksome, Kathleen
dismounted suddenly and said:

"I suppose you'll be surprized when I tell you I'm engaged to be
married?"

"Are you?" faltered Michael; and the road swam before him.

"At least I'm only engaged secretly, because my fiance is poor. He's
coming down soon. I'd like you to meet him."

"I should like to meet him very much," said Michael politely.

"You won't tell anybody what I've told you?"

"Good Lord, no. Perhaps I might be of some use," said Michael. "You
know, in arranging meeting