he knew of the
Episode of the January Cotillion. She forgot to question the propriety
of the number of Timothy's kisses, as too many before their marriage.
She thought of nothing in the wide, wide world but just one thing; that
never had she felt more contented than where she was, held in the
safety of these strong arms of Timothy's. They seemed to shut her in to
guard from all unhappiness or terror, or anything that could possibly
hurt her in the days to come. It was just as though she had found a
place most truly her own, made for her by Timothy's love; and that it
was exactly what she had been searching for, for a long, long while.

But she was still Arethusa.

So after a time she stirred, and said very softly, "I can't possibly
stay here all my life with my hair caught like this, Timothy, you know.
I ... I really think you'd better undo it. I asked you to."

He roused himself with a happy little laugh, and as his fingers were
not trembling so much, this attempt was quite successful, and the red
locks were soon free.

Then they crawled through the place in the branches and stood upright,
face to face, Arethusa's head drooped, and a warm flush mounted
suddenly. She could not be said to be at her best appearance, for her
hair was all matted and tangled, and wildly disheveled; her dress was
muddy to her knees, and torn in several places; there were dirty marks
on her face. But to Timothy, she had never looked lovelier in her life.

It was his suggestion that they have a run up to the house.

Hand in hand, they set off at a mad pace through the orchard. Miss
Eliza saw them coming, for she was restlessly waiting on the back
porch; she had been waiting for some time. She was grim and
disapproving as the flushed pair brought up, panting, before her.

"Well, Arethusa...." she began.

But Timothy interposed in a very masterful sort of way.

"You mustn't scold her, Miss 'Liza, for she came very near being
killed!" He drew Arethusa's hand through his arm with a little air of
proprietorship which did not escape unnoticed. "The big Hollow Tree
fell and it pinned her down. I had an awfully hard time getting her out
from under it."

At a sudden recollection of the getting Arethusa out from under the
tree he blushed boyishly, and most violently, even through his flush of
running. Arethusa followed suit.

"Hum ... ph!" said Miss Eliza.

She regarded them both with keen eyes for a moment, those keen eyes of
hers that so