muse yourselves;" and with a
laughing glance, and little mocking courtesy, she slipped away.

He looked after her with admiring eyes.

"She hit me there!" he owned inwardly. "But even her scorn is
pleasant. Gad! I can congratulate myself that she isn't the one I
insulted. She would never have forgiven me--that's certain! As it is,
this little girl may intercede with her sister and make it easier
there. I'm glad I had the sand to speak out, anyhow!"

He had been seated some time, lost in thoughts that could not harm him,
when Hope came tripping by, intent on finding Dwight, with whom she had
some scheme on hand, her eyes dancing with fun and expectation.
Allyne, looking up, thought his _vis-a-vis_ of a short time since was
back again, the arch, laughing expression with which she had left him
not yet cold on her face. "I have thought it all out," he said
quickly, "and you are right. I mean to try it, at least."

Hope stopped, with a cold stare of astonishment.

"Try it?" she repeated blankly.

"Yes," his face falling like the barometer before a storm. "Surely,
you have not forgotten! I'll try going without entirely, if you tell
me to. It is best, and you are right. But, if I do, may I not count
upon your friendship to help me? And you surely will make it right
with your sister, also? Though I may value yours the most, I can never
feel right until that is straightened out."

Hope saw there was something she did not comprehend, but from former
experiences concluded she could pretty accurately conjecture what had
gone before. In some way this bold offender had seen and talked to
Faith, won her soft heart to pardon, and was now suing for her own
forgiveness, with the belief that she and Faith had talked it over, and
only thus could her full friendship be secured. She would lead him on
to fuller confession before committing herself. It would serve him
rightly for his insolence! Because her sister was soft-hearted was no
reason she should be, and when he offended one he must learn that he
offended both.

"I don't know that I can make it right with her," she said guardedly.
"Why should I try?"

"Oh, but you seemed so forgiving a moment since," he urged. "You
haven't repented of it so soon, I'm sure."

"I did, did I?" thought Hope, still more puzzled but bound not to show
it--then aloud, "But girls sometimes change their minds."

"In a half hour? Then, where is that decision you boast of? No, if