is well with all in the
world."

"Please!" she cried, with a quick intake of breath through closed teeth.

"I will do anything in the world to please you," he answered,
sorrowfully. "Do you mean that--"

She turned at last and faced him, but without lifting her eyes. "Why did
you come to say good-by to me?"

"I don't understand."

"I think you do." Her voice was cold and steady, but it was suddenly
given to him to perceive that she was trembling from head to heel.

An exclamation of remorse broke from him.

"Ah! You came here to be alone. I--"

"Stop," she said. "You said good-by to me once before. Did you come to
see--what you saw then?"

He fell back in utter amazement, but she advanced upon him swiftly. "Was
it that?" she cried.

The unfortunate young man could make no reply, and remained unable to
defend himself from her inexplicable attack.

"You have not forgotten," she went on, impetuously. "It was in the
crowd, just before they gave you the flag. You saw--I know you saw--and
it killed me with the shame of it! Now you come to me to look at the
same thing again--and the boat waiting for you! Is it in revenge for
that night at the Bareauds'? Perhaps this sounds wild to you--I can't
help that--but why should you try to make it harder for me?"

From the porch came a strong voice: "Vanrevel!"

"God knows I haven't meant to," said Tom, in bitter pain. "I don't
understand. It's Cummings calling for me; I'll go at once. I'd hoped,
stupidly enough, that you would tell me whom it was you meant when you
spoke to Crailey, so that I could help to make it surer that he'd come
back to you. But I've only annoyed you. And you were here--away from the
house----avoiding me, and fearing that I--"

"Vanrevel!" shouted William. (Mrs. Tanberry had not told Lieutenant
Cummings where to find Miss Betty.)

"Fearing? Yes?"

"Fearing that I might discover you." He let his eyes rest on her
loveliness once more, and as he saw that she still trembled, he
extended his hand toward her in a gesture of infinite gentleness, like a
blessing, heaved one great sigh, and, with head erect and body straight,
set his face manfully toward the house.

He had taken three strides when his heart stopped beating at an
ineffable touch on his sleeve. For, with a sharp cry, she sprang to
him; and then, once more, among the lilac bushes where he had caught the
white kitten, his hand was seized and held between two small palms, and
the eyes of