o."

"Do what?"

"Ask you to marry me."

"And I refuse," he said, firmly. "I will not be married through pity."

"Oh, very well." She seated herself on some cushions on the top step,
humming softly, as though his words were of no moment whatever.

"You don't think I mean it, do you?" he demanded, at length.

She made no answer whatever.

"Katrine," he said, at length.

"Yes."

"What are you thinking of?"

"I've gone away," she answered. "I was not being treated very well, and
so I went away. I'm over in my Dreaming Land, My Own Country."

"Ah, come back to me!" he cried.

"Very well," she said, obligingly, though she made no movement toward
him. "I've been rebuilding the old lodge, in my thoughts, for Josef. It
will be such a wonderful place for him to rest in! He will want the
first floor made into one room. And Nora and I will come there in the
summer-time, when we're not singing. Perhaps you will come to visit us
sometime, Mr. Ravenel!" she said, politely.

"Katrine, Katrine!" he pleaded. "It would be so unfair to you."

"Nonsense," she returned, shortly. There was surely never anything
kinder or better in the world than this belittling of the whole matter.

"And I may never be strong again--"

"Then I can have my own way more," she laughed.

"And your voice--"

"Beloved," she said, gravely, "I can never give up my singing. Don't
think me vain when I say I sing too well to make it _right_ for me to
give it up. I don't believe that anybody who does a thing well, who has
the real gift, _can_ give it up. But that I shall never have to sing for
_money_ is a great happiness for me. I can sing for the poorer folk, for
the ones who really feel. Ah," she cried, "I've plans of my own, Josef
and I! And the study and the pain were to teach me how unimportant all
things are in this world save only love."

"Katrine! Katrine!" he cried, "you must help me to be square to you!" He
raised his hand, feeble from illness, in the manner of one who takes an
oath. "I solemnly swear that I will never do you the _injustice_--"

"Don't!" she cried, springing quickly to her feet and catching the
upraised hand quickly to her breast. "Don't!" Adding quickly, with a
laugh, "It's dreadful to commit perjury!"

Their hands were still clasped as Mrs. Ravenel came out to join them. In
the lavender gown, with her fair face smiling, and carrying a work-bag
of the interminable knitting in one hand, she did not look in the least