nds to heaven, as though calling it as a witness to his words.
At last the other made a sign of assent, got to his feet, bent his
head reverently as to a spiritual superior and walked slowly away
toward the house. The younger man stood gazing after him until he
passed from sight, then resumed his rapid pacing up and down,
evidently deeply moved.

At last from the direction of the house came the flutter of a white
robe. For a moment, I thought it was the old man returning; then as it
emerged fully from among the trees, I saw that it was a woman--a
young woman, I guessed, from her slimness, and from the mass of dark
hair which framed her face. And then I remembered that Godfrey had
told me that Worthington Vaughan had a daughter.

The man was at her side in an instant, held out his hand, and said
something, which caused her to shrink away. She half-turned, as though
to flee, but the other laid his hand upon her arm, speaking earnestly,
and, after a moment, she permitted him to lead her to a seat. He
remained standing before her, sometimes raising his hands to heaven,
sometimes pointing toward the house, sometimes bending close above
her, and from time to time making that peculiar gesture of touching
his fingers to his forehead, whose meaning I could not guess. But I
could guess at the torrent of passionate words which poured from his
lips, and at the eager light which was in his eyes!

The woman sat quite still, with bowed head, listening, but making no
sign either of consent or refusal. Gradually, the man grew more
confident, and at last stooped to take her hand, but she drew it
quickly away, and, raising her head, said something slowly and with
emphasis. He shook his head savagely, then, after a rapid turn up and
down, seemed to agree, bowed low to her, and went rapidly away toward
the house. The woman sat for some time where he had left her, her face
in her hands; then, with a gesture of weariness and discouragement,
crossed the lawn and disappeared among the trees.

For a long time I sat there motionless, my eyes on the spot where she
had disappeared, trying to understand. What was the meaning of the
scene? What was it the younger man had urged so passionately upon her,
but at which she had rebelled? What was it for which he had pled so
earnestly? The obvious answer was that he pled for her love, that he
had urged her to become his wife; but the answer did not satisfy me.
His attitude had been passionate enough, b