u have met him then?"

"Yes, my dear,"--he was fast relapsing into his slow drawl
again,--"that is, I went to school with him; but it's a long time ago.
Brookfield--yes, that must be his name."

She waited a moment; then, "When is he coming?" she inquired, abruptly.

"Let me see--to-day's--"

"_Monday_;" the word came swiftly between her set teeth.

"Ah, yes--Monday; well," reflectively, "_next_ Monday, my dear."

Mrs. Drayton rose, and began to pace softly the narrow passage between
the table and the tent wall, her hands clasped loosely behind her.

"How long have you known this?" she said, stopping abruptly. "O John,
you _needn't_ consider; it's quite a simple question. To-day? Yesterday?"

Her foot moved restlessly on the ground as she waited.

"I think it was the day before yesterday," he replied.

"Then why, in heaven's name, didn't you tell me before?" she broke out,
fiercely.

"My dear, it slipped my memory. If I'd thought you would be
interested--"

"Interested!" She laughed shortly. "It _is_ rather interesting to hear
that after six months of this"--she made a quick comprehensive gesture
with her hand--"one will have some one to speak to--some one. It is the
hand of Providence; it comes just in time to save me from--" She checked
herself abruptly.

He sat staring up at her stupidly, without a word.

"It's all right, John," she said, with a quick change of tone, gathering
up her work quietly as she spoke. "I'm not mad--yet. You--you must get
used to these little outbreaks," she added, after a moment, smiling
faintly; "and, to do me justice, I don't _often_ trouble you with them,
do I? I'm just a little tired, or it's the heat or--something. No--don't
touch me!" she cried, shrinking back; for he had risen slowly and was
coming toward her.

She had lost command over her voice, and the shrill note of horror in it
was unmistakable. The man heard it, and shrank in his turn.

"I'm so sorry, John," she murmured, raising her great bright eyes to his
face. They had not lost their goaded expression, though they were full
of tears. "I'm awfully sorry; but I'm just nervous and stupid, and I
can't bear _any one_ to touch me when I'm nervous."

"Here's Broomhurst, my dear! I made a mistake in his name after all,
I find. I told you _Brookfield_, I believe, didn't I? Well, it isn't
Brookfield, he says; it's Broomhurst."

Mrs. Drayton had walked some little distance across the plain to meet
and welcome