his is our last ride together, Miss Mason."

"Why?" inquired she with an astonished look in her face.

"I am going to leave your very pleasant home to-morrow," said Quincy.

The girl's cheeks paled perceptibly.

"Are you going back to Boston?" she asked.

"No, not for some time," Quincy replied, "but I have had some advice
given me and I think it best to follow it."

"You have been advised to leave my father's house," said she, holding
the reins listlessly in her hand.

Quincy said, "You won't be offended if I tell you the whole truth?"

"No; why should I?" asked Huldy.

As she said this she gathered up the reins and gave them a sharp pull.
The white mare understood this to be a signal to do some good travelling
and she started off at a brisk trot.

Quincy said, "I was told yesterday by a friend that if I was not a
marrying man they would advise me to leave Deacon Mason's house at
once."

The blood shot into Huldy's face at once. He was not a marrying man and
consequently he was going to leave. He did not care for her or he would
stay. Then another thought struck her. Perhaps he was going away because
he was afraid she would fall in love with him.

As the Deacon had said, she was high spirited, and for an instant she
was filled with indignation. She shut her eyes, and her heart seemed to
stop its beating. She heard Quincy's voice, "Look out for the curve,
Miss Mason." She dropped the left rein and mechanically gave the right
one a strong, sharp pull with both hands. Quincy grasped the reins, but
it was too late.

Huldy's pull on the right rein had thrown the horse almost at right
angles to the buggy. The steep hill and sharp curve in the road did the
rest. The buggy stood for an instant on two wheels, then fell on its
side with a crash, taking the horse off her feet at the same time.

Huldy pitched forward as the buggy was falling, striking her left arm
upon the wheel, and then fell into the road. Quincy gave a quick leap
over the dasher, falling on the prostrate horse, and grasping her by the
head, pressed it to the ground. The mare lay motionless. Quincy rushed
to Miss Mason and lifted her to her feet, but found her a dead weight in
his arms. He looked in her face. She had evidently fainted. Her left arm
hung by her side in a helpless sort of way; he touched it lightly
between the elbow and shoulder. It was broken. Grasping her in his arms
he ran to the back door and burst into the kitchen where Mrs. M