ere and there stray bits of
clouds disentangled themselves from the treetops and rose up smoke-like
till one could imagine them to be from thousands of camp-fires. Oh! it
was simply wonderful."

"It was indeed," said Mr. Thauret; "and your description brings it all
back again to me."

"Then the beautiful long twilight," Dora continued, almost unheeding,
"that was lovely. Slowly these stray bits of mist met and joined others,
till as the darkness came and the moon brightened, that beautiful sheet
of water, for after all your lake is real water, accumulated, and there
it is. At least you can enjoy that."

He did. But what he enjoyed more was the simple happiness of being with
her. After a short time, however, he was deprived of that, for Mrs.
Remsen claimed his attention, and took him up to the ball-room to
introduce him to some of the many young women who were dancing with each
other and with boys of fourteen for want of better partners.

If Mr. Thauret annoyed Mr. Randolph by being at this resort, the former
gentleman was none the more pleased at his arrival. Being left alone
with Dora, and construing her present mood to be one favorable to his
wooing, he determined to speak to her before the other man might find a
chance. Moving his chair nearer hers, he began, getting to his subject
without much circumlocution.

"Miss Dora," said he, "do you recall a conversation that I had with you
one day? I mean about loneliness, and the longing one has for
companionship?"

"Oh, yes," said she, frankly, "why? Do you wish to continue it now?"

"If you please. You remember you said you would be better able to do so
after your sister's marriage."

"Because I thought that I would miss her so much and be lonely myself,
was not that it? Well, of course I have missed Queen very much, but I
have scarcely been lonely. You have taken care of that, and I am sure
that I am very grateful to you. You have been very nice to me."

"You think so? You admit that?" He spoke eagerly.

"Why, yes! Why not, since it is true?"

"Of course, but then you know so many young ladies hide their feelings.
I mean suppression of all emotion is considered so necessary in a woman
in these days."

"Suppression!" and she laughed heartily. "Now do you think that I could
ever be suppressed?"

"No, indeed, and certainly I hope that you never will be. But if you
have not been lonely, perhaps you have thought some of that other
subject, love, I mean."

"