bore the appearance of a man from whose shoulders
the severe burden of a great weight had fallen. The tiger that had
crouched so long in his path, ready at any moment to spring, had been
vanquished. Beyond the profound humiliation of knowing that his sin was
exposed to the gaze of two of his intimate friends, he had no cause for
present grief. Both of them had proved friends indeed, and nothing was
to be feared from any quarter. Hannibal had disappeared immediately
after the interview at the Hoffman House, and it was supposed had gone
back to France.

There was to be no haste about the wedding, after all. Now that the
young couple felt perfectly sure of each other they were more willing
than they had been to wait. The freedom that an understood engagement
brings to Americans was theirs. If Millicent had only known the true
condition of affairs, and was content with them, they would have been
perfectly satisfied.

An old story tells how a certain colony of mice came to the unanimous
conclusion that a bell should be hung around the neck of a cat for which
they had a well-defined fear; and it also relates that none of the
rodents were willing to undertake the task of placing the warning signal
in the desired position. Both Shirley and Daisy wished heartily that
Millicent could be told the exact condition of their hopes and
expectations, but neither had the courage to inform her. Many of their
long conversations referred to this matter, and one day, when they had
discussed it as usual, Daisy hit upon a bright idea.

"You don't suppose, do you, that Mr. Weil would tell Millie for us? He
has done so many nice things, he might do one more."

Roseleaf wore a thoughtful expression. He realized how much Archie had
already done for him--realized it more fully than Daisy did; but he said
the matter was worth thinking of. He wanted very much to have it
settled.

"Would--would you--ask him?" he stammered. "He would do anything for
you."

"Yes," she responded, softly, "I will ask him. But we had best be
together. I do not want to broach the matter unless you are there."

In a few days the opportunity came. Mr. Weil heard the voice he loved
best explaining the situation.

"We want Millie to understand," said Daisy. "If she--if she still likes
Shirley herself, there may be an unpleasant scene, and you will see how
difficult it is for either of us to tell her. But you, who have done so
many kindnesses for us, could convey the i