affair."

Miss Willett shivered and, withdrawing from his arm, edged away to the
extreme end of the seat and averted her gaze.

"It's quite easy," whispered the tempter.

Miss Willett, still looking out at the door, affected not to hear.

"Not a soul would know until afterward," continued Mr. Truefitt, in an
ardent whisper. "It could all be kept as quiet as possible. I'll have
the license ready, and you could just slip out for a morning walk and
meet me at the church, and there you are. And it's ridiculous of two
people of our age to go to such trouble."

"Mother would never forgive me," murmured Miss Willett. "Never!"

"She'd come round in time," said Mr. Truefitt.

"Never!" said Miss Willett. "You don't know mother's strength of mind.
But I mustn't stay and listen to such things. It's wicked!"

She got up and slipped into the garden, and with Mr. Truefitt in
attendance paced up and down the narrow paths.

"Besides," she said, after a long silence, "I shouldn't like to share
housekeeping with your sister. It would only lead to trouble between us,
I am sure."

Mr. Truefitt came to a halt in the middle of the path, and stood
rumpling his hair again as an aid to thought. Captain Sellers, who was
looking over his fence, waved a cheery salutation.

"Fine evening," he piped.

The other responded with a brief nod.

"What did you say?" inquired Captain Sellers, who was languishing for a
little conversation.

"Didn't say anything!" bawled Mr. Truefitt.

"You must speak up if you want me to hear you!" cried the captain. "It's
one o' my bad days."

Truefitt shook his head, and placing himself by the side of Miss Willett
resumed his walk. Three fences away, Captain Sellers kept pace with
them.

"Nothing fresh about Trimblett, I suppose?" he yelled.

Truefitt shook his head again.

"He's a deep 'un!" cried Sellers--"wonderful deep! How's the other one?
Bearing up? I ain't seen her about the last day or two. I believe that
was all a dodge of Trimblett's to put us off the scent. It made a fool
of me."

Mr. Truefitt, with a nervous glance at the open windows of his house,
turned and walked hastily down the garden again.

"He quite deceived me," continued Captain Sellers, following--"quite.
What did you say?"

"Nothing," bawled Mr. Truefitt, with sudden ferocity.

"Eh!" yelled the captain, leaning over the fence with his hand to his
ear.

"Nothing!"

"Eh?" said the captain, anxiously. "Speak up! What?"