ward us.

"Well!" he said, as he came up to us, "so it really did happen!"

Tish took a deep breath, to begin on him, but he went on blithely:

"You see, when I got back home that day, I felt it hadn't really been
true. I had _not_ gone rabbit-shooting, and found three ladies
half-buried in a haystack. And of course I had not driven an automobile
along a creek bed and through the old swimming hole, with my own gun
levelled at my back."

Tish took another breath and opened her mouth.

"Then, the other day," he went on, smiling cheerfully, "I thought I had
had a return of the hallucination, because I fancied I saw you all on a
wagon. But the next moment the wagon was driving on, and you were
nowhere in sight."

"That was because," said Aggie, "when the wagon started we all sat down
unexpectedly, and----"

"Aggie!" Tish said, in a savage tone. "Now, young man, I want to say
something to you, and I'd thank you----"

"Oh, I say!" he broke in, looking suddenly depressed, "I can see you are
still down on me. But don't scold me. Please don't. Because I am a
sensitive person, and you will ruin what was going to be a perfect day.
I know I was wrong. I apologize. I eat my words. And now I'll leave you,
because if you should vanish into thin air again I should have to go and
lock myself up."

Well, with all his gaiety he did not look particularly gay, and he was
rather hollow in the cheeks. I came to the conclusion that he was going
to marry another young woman, partly to keep out of going to war, but
partly to spite the first. I must say I felt rather sorry for him,
especially when I saw the way he looked at her. Oh, yes, I picked her
out at once, because she never took her eyes off him.

I didn't think she was fooled much, either, because she looked as if she
needed to go off into a corner and have a good cry. Well, she got her
wish later, if that was what she wanted.

But Tish is a woman of one idea. While he chattered with one eye on the
girl, Tish was eyeing him coldly. At last she caught him by the arm.

"I have something to say to you, young man," she commenced. "I want to
ask you what you think of any one who----"

"I beg your pardon," he interrupted, and freed his arm. "Awfully sorry.
I think a young lady over there wishes to speak to me."

He left us briskly enough, but he slowed up before he got across the
room. He stopped once and half turned, too, with the unhappiest face
I've ever seen on a human bein