such as Kate Rayner could offer her; and Kate was bitterly offended at
her. There was just one chance to end it now and forever, and to relieve
her sister and the captain of the burden of her support. _Could_ she
make up her mind to do it? And Mr. Van Antwerp offered the opportunity.

So far from breaking with her, as she half expected,--so far from being
even angry and reproachful on receiving the letter she had written
telling him all about her meetings with Mr. Hayne,--he had written again
and again, reproaching himself for his doubts and fears, begging her
forgiveness for having written and telegraphed to Kate, humbling himself
before her in the most abject way, and imploring her to reconsider her
determination and to let him write to Captain and Mrs. Rayner to return
to their Eastern home at once, that the marriage might take place
forthwith and he could bear her away to Europe in May. Letter after
letter came, eager, imploring, full of tenderest love and devotion, full
of the saddest apprehension, never reproaching, never doubting, never
commanding or restraining. The man had found the way to touch a woman
of her generous nature: he had left all to her; he was at her mercy; and
she knew well that he loved her fervently and that to lose her would
wellnigh break his heart. Could she say the word and be free? Surely, as
this man's wife there would be no serfdom; and, yet, could she wed a man
for whom she felt no spark of love?

They went down to the creek one fine morning early in April. There had
been a sudden thaw of the snows up the gorges of the Rockies, and the
stream had overleaped its banks, spread over the lowlands, and flooded
some broad depressions in the prairie. Then, capricious as a woman's
moods, the wind whistled around from the north one night and bound the
lakelets in a band of ice. The skating was gorgeous, and all the pretty
ankles on the post were rejoicing in the opportunity before the setting
of another sun. Coming homeward at luncheon-time, Mrs. Rayner, Mrs.
Buxton, Miss Travers, and one or two others, escorted by a squad of
bachelors, strolled somewhat slowly along Prairie Avenue towards the
gate. It so happened that the married ladies were foremost in the little
party, when who should meet them but Mr. Hayne, coming from the east
gate! Mrs. Rayner and Mrs. Buxton, though passing him almost elbow to
elbow, looked straight ahead or otherwise avoided his eye. He raised his
forage-cap in general