behind it. Driver knew this perfectly well, though
beyond the posting of letters and the buying of the fur coat he had
had no firsthand evidence.

But he kept his thoughts to himself and packed shirts and socks and
coats by the score, as if to keep up the belief that they were really
going for months, instead of the day which were the limit he
prescribed in his own mind.

When Rochester called later on in the evening, Micky was almost rude
to him. The American looked so unfeignedly happy that it got on
Micky's nerves; but George P. Rochester was difficult to snub; he
looked on at the packing with childlike amazement.

"It's a sudden idea of yours, this flitting!" he submitted mildly.
Micky did not answer.

"Hope you'll be back in time for my wedding, Sonnie," Rochester said
again.

Micky flushed crimson; there was something rather pathetic about him
at that moment.

"Oh, I'll be back all right," he said shortly.

Rochester laughed.

"You won't have to stay away long then," he said significantly.

CHAPTER XXXVII

Esther woke from a troubled sleep that night, to find June standing
beside her. Pale moonlight shone into the room from half-drawn blinds,
filling it with an eerie light, as Esther started up trembling and
frightened.

"What is it? is anything the matter? Oh, I thought you were a ghost!"
She clutched at June with both hands. "Oh, is anything the matter?"
she asked again.

June laughed nervously; she found matches and lit a candle, then she
came back to Esther and thrust something into her hands.

"You'll never forgive me," she said. "But I've had it in my coat
pocket for two days...." She pushed her dark hair back from her
forehead tragically. "Lydia gave it to me for you the day I went out
in my best hat to meet George, and I was such a selfish, conceited pig
that he put everything else out of my head, and I forgot all about it
till just now, when I was lying awake thinking ... and then ... oh,
Esther, it's from Micky!"

Esther looked down at the crumpled envelope--

"From--Micky?..." she said. She was only half awake; she made a very
fair picture there with her long hair tumbling about her shoulders,
and her face a little flushed and startled.

June turned to the door.

"I'll go away--you don't want me.... I'll go----" but Esther caught
her hand.

"No--no.... Wait! please wait!"

"Very well--but I'm half frozen...." June looked plaintively at
Esther, but Esther had forgotte