"Stephen!" she cried tearfully. "Do you realize what I
have suffered!" The tears and the appeal conquered him, and for the
moment he felt himself a brute.

But when cool judgment came back to him, Katie's conduct looked always
more and more unsatisfactory. She certainly was not thinking of his
wishes now. He knew that no other human being could have kept him in
this position, and while he chafed at it, he made every possible excuse
for her, even to condoning a certain childishness which he told himself
this proved. Since she was loyal, what mattered a little tantalizing of
himself? Still Stephen wavered between his pride and his love. The first
told him to end this child's play, to marry Katie if she would have him,
but tell her it was now or never. Love put off this evil day, and it may
be that his love had a touch of pride in it also, that he did not fancy
being superseded by Bulchester.

Then came the expedition.

The streets of Boston were thronged with a crowd of serious faces. One
vessel after another had slipped quietly off to the Roads. But the last
of the fleet was here. And not only the friends of the soldiers, but
friends of the cause, and lookers-on had assembled. The whole city
seemed to be there.

When Elizabeth with her father and Mrs. Eveleigh drove up, the
embarkation was nearly over, and some of the transports were already
standing off to sea. The largest vessel, however, was still at the pier,
and as Elizabeth looked at the troops marching steadily on board, she
saw Archdale near the gangway. He seemed to be in command. She watched
him a moment with a feeling of sadness. Who could tell that he would
ever come back, that youth and prowess might not prove too weak for the
sword of the enemy or for some stray shot? How lightly Mr. Edmonson had
spoken of such a thing! She did not know whom he had been talking of,
but his tone was mocking. He paid people in society more attention than
Archdale did, he certainly was more kind and interested in all that
concerned herself. And yet, in an emergency, if a call came for
self-denial, or devotion to honor, was it Edmonson to whom she would
appeal?

Since her freedom the latter had not failed to press his suit eagerly,
and he had endeavored to conceal the fury that possessed him when he
became convinced that she meant her refusal. He had not succeeded very
well in this, and Elizabeth had caught another glimpse of his inner
life. She did not believe in his pr