the electric
button to summon the office boy.

"I'll put an end to it--it's got to be done sometime or other--just as
well now." He wrote a note to the head clerk to say that he was leaving
two days earlier for his vacation than he intended; left his address for
the next four days in case anything should turn up that might demand his
presence before starting on the cruise; sent the office boy off with a
telegram to his mother that she might expect him Saturday morning for
two days in Flamsted; went to his apartment, packed grip and steamer
trunk for the yacht, and left on the night express for the Maine coast.

VII

"I just saw Mr. Googe driving down from The Gore, Aileen, so he's in
town again."

Octavius was passing the open library window where Aileen was sitting at
her work, and stopped to tell her the news.

"Is he?"

The tone was indifferent, but had she not risen quickly to shake some
threads of embroidery linen into the scrap-basket beneath the library
table, Octavius might have seen the quick blood mount into her cheeks,
the red lips quiver. It was welcome news for which she had been waiting
already six weeks.

Octavius spoke again but in a low voice:

"You might mention it to Mrs. Champney when she comes down; it don't set
well, you know, if she ain't told everything that's going on." He passed
on without waiting for an answer.

The girl took her seat again by the window. Her work lay in her lap; her
hands were folded above it; her face was turned to the Flamsted Hills.
"Would he come soon? When and where could she see him again, and alone?"
Her thoughts were busy with conjecture.

Octavius recrossing the terrace called out to her:

"You going up to Mrs. Caukins' later on this afternoon?"

"Yes; Mrs. Champney said she didn't need me."

"I'll take you up."

"Thank you, Tave, not to-day. I'm going to row up as far as the upper
shed. I promised the twins to meet them there; they want to see the new
travelling crane at work. We'll go up afterwards to The Gore together."

"It's pretty hot, but I guess you're all three seasoned by this time."

"Through and through, Tave; and I'm not coming home till after
supper--it's lovely then--there's Mrs. Champney coming!"

She heard her step in the upper hall and ran upstairs to assist her in
coming down.

"Will you go out on the terrace now?" she asked her on entering the
library.

"I'll wait a while; it's too warm at this hour."

Aileen drew Mrs