you care only for me."

"Only for you--only for you!" she cried, "O, Laurence, I love you with
all my heart!"

There was a sound as she said it, the house door opening. In the
moonlight Aunt Hetty's spare, small figure appeared in the doorway, in
the silence her pleasant voice called:

"Norine! Norine! come in out of the dew dear child."

Some giant hemlocks grew near the gate--Laurence Thorndyke drew her with
him into their black shadow, and stood perfectly still. Brilliant as the
moonlight was, Aunt Hetty might brush against them and not see them in
the leafy gloom.

"I must go," whispered Norine; "she will be here in a moment in search
of me. Laurence, let me go."

"But first--I must see you again. No one knows I am here, no one must
know. When does Gilbert arrive?"

"To-morrow," she answered, with a sudden shiver.

"My darling, don't fear--you are mine now, mine only. Mine you shall
remain." His eyes glittered strangely in the gloom as he said it. "We
cannot meet to-morrow; but we must meet to-morrow night."

"No," she faltered, "no--no. It would be wrong, dishonorable. And I dare
not, we would be discovered."

"Not if you do as I direct. What time do you all retire? Half-past ten?"

"Mostly."

"Then at eleven, or half-past, the coast is sure to be clear. At eleven
to-morrow night I will be here just without the gate, and you must steal
out and meet me."

"Laurence!"

"You must--you will, if you love me. Are you not my wife, or going to be
in a few days, which amounts to the same thing. Will Gilbert stop here?"

"I don't know. Yes, I suppose so."

"Well, even if he does it will not matter. You can steal out unheard and
unobserved, can you not?"

"Yes--no. I don't know. Laurence! Laurence! I am afraid."

"Of what? Of whom? not of me, Norine?"

She shivered a little, and shrank from his side.

"It seems so strange, so bold, so wrong. I ought not, it is wicked--I
don't know what to do."

"Then you don't care for me at all, Norine?"

He knew how to move her. The reproachful words went to her heart. _Care_
for him! He doubted that.

"You will come," he said, that exultant gleam in his eyes again, "my
loyal little girl! I have a thousand things to say to you, and we can
talk uninterruptedly then. When was your wedding to be?"

"Next Thursday."

"And this is Sunday night. To-morrow afternoon Gilbert will be here. You
see how little time we have to spare, Norine. You must meet me, for on
T