e.

"I'm glad you've liked it here," said she.... "Shall you stop again, on
your way back home?"

The man's eyes turned from the fire full upon her face. His voice
changed a little.

"What do you think?"

"I only know what I hope," said she; and her gold-and-black lashes fell.

The firelight played upon her half-averted face, twisted shadows into
the sheen of her hair, incarnadined her smooth cheek. Whiter and softer
than swan's down gleamed her round bare shoulder, her perfect neck.
Canning's blood moved. He turned more fully and leaned toward her, his
elbow on her chair-arm.

"Could you think that all these happy days with you have meant so little
to me?... You've a poor opinion of me, indeed. Didn't I say in the
beginning that you did not know how to be kind?"

At his tone, the girl's breath came faster. She sat in silence pulling
her long gloves between slim little hands.

"You are hard, Miss Heth," said Canning, slowly. And he added, with that
touch of unconscious pride with which he always spoke of the Cannings,
their position and serious responsibilities in the world: "When I compel
myself to think of my duty toward my father and my family, I make
sacrifices which ought, I think, to win me your approval. I've a place
to fill some day.... But since you ask, I shall think also of myself. I
shall come again to the old Payne fort."

She gave him a look which said that she was not really unkind. And
Canning immediately possessed her ungloved hand in both of his. Her
heart flattered at his touch; her hand seemed to feel that this indeed
was where it belonged; but, on the whole, training and intuition
appeared to indicate a contrary view. There was a moment of stillness,
of acquiescence, in which she became aware that he bent nearer. And then
Carlisle rose, with a natural air, taking the hand along with her,
incidentally as it were. Standing by the fire, looking down into it,
she said:

"The town will be empty without you."

Behind her, Canning had risen too, with a sort of sharpness. He was
silent. And then it was borne in upon her that the proud young man was
moving toward his trappings, to go....

"Your friendly words are much appreciated," said he, smiling. "But I
observe that I've overstayed horribly."

The girl regarded him. Hardly since the first moments in Kerr's
apartment, had she heard that ironical note in Mr. Canning's voice; and
yet she understood at once, and was not alarmed. Gently as she