g in such haste to reach her that he couldn't take time to go to a
hotel and make himself neat seemed to her sure evidence that the two were
upon a footing more intimate than that of mere friendship.

"If you are not too proud," said Miss Ruston to Mr. Eugene Brant, "you
may come into the kitchen and wash your hands and face. Afterward you may
stroll about my garden while I get supper."

"I am not too proud to wash my face in your kitchen," responded Mr.
Brant, following her with alacrity, "but I shall not be willing to stroll
about your garden while you get supper. After supper, if you like, we
will explore it to its mystic end down by the currant bushes I see from
the window here."

He accepted the basin of water Charlotte gave him, as gracefully as she
presented it, dried his face upon the little towel she handed him, and
declared himself much refreshed. She did not apologize for the lack of a
guest-room where he might remove the signs of dusty travel, nor did she
allude to the absence within the house of most of the appliances
considered necessary in these days for creature comfort. But she
dismissed him to the garden with a finality against which his pleadings
to be allowed to be of use to her proved of no avail, and only when,
after a half-hour, she appeared in the doorway with a pail, and
approached the old well nearby, did he discover a chance to show his
devotion.

"If you knew what fun I should consider it to be carrying plates and
things around for you in there," said he, as he drew the water for her,
"you wouldn't keep me out here. What do you imagine I came a hundred
miles out of my way for--to study the possibilities of landscape
gardening as applied to miniature estates like these of yours?"

"You might do much worse," she responded promptly. "I have spent not a
little thought on just how much trimming to give my old shrubbery and how
much to leave in a wild tangle. Will you come in now and have supper? We
will take it with Granny in the front room."

Mr. Brant was hungry, after his long drive, and he eyed with satisfaction
the small table by the door, set out with fine old china and linen. He
consumed two juicy hot chops with keen relish, accompanied as they were
by well-cooked rice. A simple salad followed, and gave way to a dish of
choice peaches, upon which his hostess poured plenty of rich cream. She
gave him also two cups of extremely good coffee, and he rose from the
repast feeling content, t