, he squeezed by that slave and
victim, and raising the hinged board that separated his kingdom from
that of the ribbon department, passed out of the store, hat in hand,
serene in the consciousness that though other clerks might nibble
luncheon from a brown paper bag, he would speedily be indulging in an
expensive repast; and Miss Dix knew it, and it was a part of his almost
invincible attraction for her.

It seemed flying in the face of Providence to decline the attentions of
such a gorgeous butterfly of fashion simply because one was engaged to
marry another man at some distant day.

All Edgewood femininity united in saying that there never was such
a perfect gentleman as Claude Merrill; and during the time when his
popularity was at its height Rose lost sight of the fact that Stephen
could have furnished the stuff for a dozen Claudes and have had enough
left for an ordinary man besides.

April gave place to May, and a veil hung between the lovers,--an
intangible, gossamer-like thing, not to be seen with the naked eye, but,
oh! so plainly to be felt. Rose hid herself thankfully behind it,
while Stephen had not courage to lift a corner. She had twice been seen
driving with Claude Merrill--that Stephen knew; but she had explained
that there were errands to be done, that her grandfather had taken
the horse, and that Mr. Merrill's escort had been both opportune and
convenient for these practical reasons. Claude was everywhere present,
the center of attraction, the observed of all observers. He was
irresistible, contagious, almost epidemic. Rose was now gay, now silent;
now affectionate, now distant, now coquettish; in fine, everything that
was capricious, mysterious, agitating, incomprehensible.

One morning Alcestis Crambry went to the post-office for Stephen and
brought him back the newspapers and letters. He had hung about the River
Farm so much that Stephen finally gave him bed and food in exchange for
numberless small errands. Rufus was temporarily confined in a dark room
with some strange pain and trouble in his eyes, and Alcestis proved of
use in many ways. He had always been Rose's slave, and had often brought
messages and notes from the Brier Neighborhood, so that when Stephen saw
a folded note among the papers his heart gave a throb of anticipation.

The note was brief, and when he had glanced through it he said: "This is
not mine, Alcestis; it belongs to Miss Rose. Go straight back and give
it to her as yo