ht of her he knew it. Knew also that he
had been _sure_ of it all along.

She was sitting on a great fallen log, quietly, calmly, with her back
against an old gnarled branch that rose in a convenient way, and her
head was thrown back and up as if she were seeing wonderful visions
somewhere among the green, and the blue and white above. It was as if
she had reached a higher plane where earthly annoyances do not come,
and felt it good to be there. There was almost a smile on her
beautiful lips, a strong, sweet, wistful smile. She had not been
looking down at the deep, treacherous pool at all. She had been
looking _up_ and her strength had come upon her so. For one long
instant the young man paused and lifted his hat, watching her in a
kind of awe. Her face almost seemed to shine as if she had been
talking with God. He remembered dimly the story of Moses on the Mount
talking with God. He hesitated almost to intrude upon a solitude so
fine and wonderful. Then in relief and eagerness he spoke her name:

"Jane!"

She turned and looked at him and her face lit up with joy:

"Oh! It is you! Why--how did you happen----?"

"I came to find you, Jane. Leslie told me everything and I have hunted
everywhere. But when you were not at college I somehow knew you would
be here. I wanted to find you--and--enfold you, Jane--wrap you around
somehow with my love and care if you will let me, so that nothing like
that can ever hurt you again. I love you, Jane. I suppose I'm a little
previous and all that, being only a kid, as it were, and neither of us
out of college yet, but I shan't change, and I'll be hanged if I see
why it isn't all right for me to have the right to protect you against
such annoyances as this----"

He was beside her on the log now, his face burning eagerly with deep
feeling, one arm protectingly behind her, the other hand laid
strongly, possessively over the small folded hands in her lap.

"Perhaps I'm taking a whole lot for granted," he said humbly. "Perhaps
you don't love me--can't even like me the way I hoped you do. Oh,
Jane, speak quick, and tell me! Darling, can you ever love me enough?
You haven't drawn your hands away! Look up and let me read your eyes,
please----"

No, she had not drawn her hands away, and she did not shrink from his
supporting arm--and she was the kind of girl who would not have
allowed such familiarities _unless_--_Ah!_ She had lifted her eyes and
there was something blindingly beautifu