window told that she knew what was before her.

"What shall I do?" she cried breathlessly. "Here he is! I can't see him!
I can't go through that scene again. George! won't you stop him?"

"What under the sun are you afraid of?" said Strong. "He'll not shoot
you! If you don't mean to marry him, tell him so, and this time make it
clear. Let there be no mistake about it! But don't send him away if you
mean to make yourself unhappy afterwards."

"Of course I am going to be unhappy afterwards," groaned Esther. "What
do you know about it, George? Do you think I feel about him as you would
about a lump of coal? I was just beginning to be quiet and peaceful, and
now it must all start up again. Go away! Leave us alone! But not long!
If he is not gone within an hour, come back!"

The next instant the door opened and Hazard was shown into the room. His
manner at this awkward moment was quiet and self-possessed, as though he
had made it the business of his life to chase flying maidens. Having
taken his own time, he was not to be thrown off his balance by any
ordinary chance. He nodded familiarly to Strong, who left the room as he
entered, and walking straight to Esther, held out his hand with a look
of entreaty harder for her to resist than any form of reproach.

"I told you that I should follow," he said.

She drew back, raising her hand to check him, and putting on what she
intended for a forbidding expression.

"It is my own fault. I should have spoken more plainly," she replied.

Instead of taking up the challenge, Hazard turned to the table where her
unfinished drawing lay.

"What a good sketch!" he said, bending over it. "But you have not yet
caught the real fall. I never saw an artist that had."

Esther's defense was disconcerted by this attack. Hazard was bent on
getting back to his old familiar ground, and she let him take it. Her
last hope was that he might be willing to take it, and be made content
with it. If she could but persuade him to forget what had passed, and
return to the footing of friendship which ought never to have been left!
This was what she was made for! Her courage rose as she thought that
perhaps this was possible, and as he sat down before the drawing and
discussed it, she fancied that her object was already gained, and that
this young greyhound at her elbow could be held in a leash and made to
obey a sign.

In a few minutes he had taken again his old friendly place, and if she
did not tre