y
and for some reason which she did not know--Warden had been killed.
And feeling that in helping him there might be danger to herself, she
suddenly and eagerly welcomed that danger, and made her decision.
"You'll promise, Mr. Eaton, not to try to--leave?"

"Yes."

"Let us go out," she said.

She led the way downstairs and, in the hall, picked up a cape; he threw
it over her shoulders and brought his overcoat and cap. But in his
absorption he forgot to put them on until, as they went out into the
garden together, she reminded him; then he put on the cap. The night
was clear and cool, and no one but themselves seemed to be about the
house.

"Which way do you want to go?" she asked.

He turned toward the forested acres of the grounds which ran down to a
ravine at the bottom of which a little stream trickled toward the lake.
As they approached the side of this ravine, a man appeared and
investigated them. He recognized the girl's figure and halted.

"It's all right, Willis," she said quietly.

"Yes, ma'am."

They passed the man and went down the path into the ravine and up the
tiny valley. Eaton halted.

"Your man's just above there?" he asked her.

"Yes."

"He'll stay there?"

"Yes; or close by."

"Then you don't mind waiting here a few moments for me?"

"No," she said. "You will return here?"

"Yes," he said; and with that permission, he left her.

Both had spoken so that the man above could not have heard; and Harriet
now noticed that, as her companion hurried ahead, he went almost
noiselessly. As he disappeared, the impulse to call him back almost
controlled her; then she started to follow him; but she did not. She
stood still, shivering a little now in the cold; and as she listened,
she no longer heard his footsteps. What she had done was done; then
just as she was telling herself that it must be many moments before she
would know whether he was coming back, she heard him returning; at some
little distance, he spoke her name so as not to frighten her. She knew
at once it was he, but a change in the tone surprised her. She stepped
forward to meet him.

"You found your friend?"

"Yes."

"What did he tell you?" Her hand caught his sleeve in an impulse of
concern, but she tried to make it seem as though she grasped him to
guide her through the trees of the ravine. "I mean what is wrong that
you did not expect?"

She heard his breath come fast.

"Nothing," he denied.

"No; you m