his morning that I was dreadfully afraid of bulls, especially mad ones,
and I told you that my nurse frightened me, when I was a child, with
awful stories about them, and that I never outgrew my childish terror. I
looked everywhere about. The barn was too far, the fence too high; I saw
him coming, and there was nothing but you and the open country. Of
course, I took you. It was very natural, I'm sure; any girl would have
done it.'

'To be sure,' I replied soothingly, 'any girl would have run after me,
as you say.'

'I didn't say any girl would have run after you--you needn't flatter
yourself; and besides, I think I was really trying to protect you as
well as to gain protection, else why should I have cast myself on you
like a catamount, or a catacomb, or whatever the thing is?'

'Yes, darling, I thank you for saving my life, and I am willing to
devote the remainder of it to your service as a pledge of my gratitude;
but if you should take up life-saving as a profession, dear, don't throw
yourself on a fellow with--'

'Jack! Jack!' she cried, putting her hand over my lips, and getting it
well kissed in consequence. 'If you will only forget that, and never,
never taunt me with it afterwards, I'll--I'll--well, I'll do anything in
reason--yes, even marry you!'

* * * * *

_He_

Canterbury, _July 31_,
The Royal Fountain.

I was never sure enough of Kitty, at first, to dare risk telling her
about that little mistake of hers. She is such an elusive person that I
spend all my time in wooing her, and can never lay the flattering
unction to my soul that she is really won.

But after Aunt Celia had looked up my family record and given a
provisional consent, and Papa Schuyler had cabled a reluctant blessing,
I did not feel capable of any further self-restraint.

It was twilight here in Canterbury, and we were sitting on the
vine-shaded veranda of Aunt Celia's lodging. Kitty's head was on my
shoulder. There is something very queer about that; when Kitty's head is
on my shoulder, I am not capable of any consecutive train of thought.
When she puts it there I see stars, then myriads of stars, then, oh! I
can't begin to enumerate the steps by which ecstasy mounts to delirium;
but, at all events, any operation which demands exclusive use of the
intellect is beyond me at these times. Still, I gathered my stray wits
together, and said:

'Kitty!'

'Yes, Jack?'

'Now that nothi