od's sake tell
me what you want!"

"I don't know," Huntington admitted frankly; "but for the present give
me your promise that you will stay here until I reach my decision. I
must go back to Sagamore to relieve the anxiety of those who are
suffering on your account. When I return I shall hope to have found the
solution. Have I your promise?"

Hamlen leaned forward, burying his face in his hands.

"You are too strong for me," he muttered. "I must do as you wish."

Huntington laid his hand kindly on the bowed head.

* * * * *

XXXVI

* * * * *

In spite of Mrs. Thatcher's watchfulness, Billy had seen Merry and met
his Waterloo. Blissfully unaware of the momentous happenings about him,
and determined to "get even" with "the Gorgon," the boy developed a plot
of his own which was perfect in conception barring one important detail:
he and Merry were to slip away in a motor-car, dash over to Fall River
to a young clergyman he knew, have the knot tied before interference was
possible, and then return to Sagamore Hall for the parental blessing.
The question of license occurred to him, but that was a mere detail
which could be arranged on the way over.

It was several days after this brilliant idea came to Billy before he
found opportunity to take Merry into his confidence, but the more he
thought it over the more strongly it appealed. The fact that she seemed
even less responsive than usual did not discourage him, for girls, he
had discovered, always act exactly contrary to their real feelings in
affairs of this kind. The details were so absurdly simple and the
outcome would be so eminently satisfactory that the possibility of
failure became more and more remote. But, as the strength of any chain
is determined by its weakest link, it was in this one omitted detail
that Billy's plan slipped up; the idea did not appeal to Merry with
sufficient force even to be given serious consideration.

As a matter of fact the boy could not have selected a less opportune
moment for presenting his forlorn hope. Merry had reached that ecstatic
height to which martyrs attain. Joan of Arc was no more zealous to
sacrifice herself to save Orleans than was Merry to pay the debt of
honor her mother owed to Hamlen. It may be that the Maid was influenced
in her heart by other motives beyond the "heavenly voices" which are
generally accredited; it may be that Merry was more