woods. As her
eyes swept the russet valley through which they had passed Alice drew a
deep breath of pleasure. How good it was to be alive in such a world
of beauty! A meadow lark throbbed its three notes at her joyfully to
emphasize their kinship. An English pheasant strutted across the path
and disappeared into the ferns. Neither the man nor the woman spoke. All
the glad day called them to the emotional climax toward which they were
racing.

Womanlike, Alice attempted to evade what she most desired. He was to be
her mate. She knew it now. But the fear of him was in her heart.

"Were you so fond of him? Is that why you did it for him?" she asked.

"I didn't do it for him."

"For whom then?"

He did not answer. Nor did his eyes meet hers. They were fixed on the
moving ferns where the pheasant had disappeared.

Alice guessed. He had done it for the girl because he thought her in
love with his cousin. A warm glow suffused her. No man made such a
sacrifice for a woman unless he cared for her.

The meadow lark flung out another carefree ecstasy. The theme of it was
the triumphant certainty that love is the greatest thing in the world.
Jeff felt that it was now or never.

"I love you. It's been hidden in my heart more than eight years, but
I find I must tell you. All the arguments against it I've rehearsed a
thousand times. The world is at your feet. You could never love a man
like me. To your friends I'm a bad lot. They never would consider me a
moment."

Gently she interrupted. "Is it my friends you want to marry?"

The surprise of it took him by the throat. His astonished eyes
questioned for a denial. In that moment a wonderful secret was born into
the world. She held out both hands with a divine frankness, a sweetness
of surrender beyond words.

"But your father--your people!"

"'Where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people."' She
murmured it with a broken little laugh that was a sob.

Even then he did not take her in his arms. The habit of reverence for
her was of many years' growth and not to be broken in an instant.

"You are sure, dear--quite sure?"

"I've been sure ever since the day of our first talk on the
_Bellingham._"

Still he fought the joy that flooded him. "I must tell you the truth so
that you won't idealize me... and the situation. I am enlisted in this
fight for life. Where it will lead me I don't know. But I must follow
the road I see. You will lose your friends.