have cared at
all. Nevertheless, for her sake, I must try to plan, and I did.

I was still trying when I heard footsteps approaching the door, the
small door at the side, not the big one in front. I did not rise to open
the door, nor did I turn my head. The visitor was Lute, probably, and if
I kept still he might think I was not within and go away again.

The door opened. "Here he is," said a voice, a voice that I recognized.
I turned quickly and sprang to my feet. Standing behind me was Captain
Jedediah Dean and with him George Taylor--George Taylor, who should have
been--whom I had supposed to be in Washington with his bride!

"Here he is," said Captain Jed, again. "Well, Ros, we've come to see
you."

But I paid no attention to him. It was his companion I was staring at.
What was he doing here?

"George!" I cried. "GEORGE!"

He stepped forward and held out his hand. He was smiling, but there was
a look in his eye which expressed the exact opposite of smiles.

"Ros," he said, quietly, "Ros Paine, you bull-headed, big-hearted old
chump, how are you?"

But I could only stare at him. Why had he come to Denboro? What did his
coming to me mean? Why had he come with Captain Jed, the man who had
vowed that he was done with me forever? And why was the captain looking
at me so oddly?

"George!" I cried in alarm, "George, you haven't--you haven't made a
fool of yourself? You haven't--"

Captain Jed interrupted me. "He ain't the fool, Ros," he said. "That
is, he ain't now. I'm the fool. I ought to have known better. Ros, I--I
don't know's you'll give it to me, but anyhow I'm goin' to ask it; I beg
your pardon."

"Ros," said Taylor, before I could reply, "don't stand staring as if
you were petrified. Sit down and let me look at you. You pig-headed old
idiot, you! What do you mean by it? What did you do it for?"

He pushed me into the chair I had just vacated. Captain Dean took
another. George remained standing.

"He IS petrified, I do believe!" he exclaimed.

But my petrification was only temporary. I was beginning to understand,
and to be more alarmed than ever.

"What are you doing here in Denboro?" I demanded.

Captain Jed answered for him. "He's here because I telegraphed for him
yesterday," he said. "I wired him to come straight home and take charge
of the bank. I had fired you, like the dumb fool I was, and I wanted him
to take command. He got here on the mornin' train."

I remembered what Phin Cahoon