y deeper meaning. Now she was
aware of that meaning in her every fibre, physical and spiritual.

"Aileen Mavoureen, the gray dawn is breaking--"

And hearing that, realizing that the voice was calling for her alone in
all the world, she rose; dressed herself quickly; beckoned joyously to
him from the window; noiselessly made her way down the back stairs;
softly unbolted the kitchen porch door--

He was there with hands outstretched for hers; she placed them in his,
and again, in remembrance of their fun and frolic seven years before, he
raced with her down the slate-laid garden walk, across the lawn to the
boat house where his own boat lay moored.

It was four o'clock on that warm midsummer morning. The mists lay light
but impenetrable on the surface of the lake. The lilies were still
closed.

They spoke but little.

"I knew no one could hear me--they all sleep on the other side, don't
they?"

"Yes, all except the boy, and he sleeps like a log--Tave has to wake him
every morning; alarm clocks are no good."

"Have you ever seen the lilies open, Aileen?"

"No, never; I've never been out early in the morning, but I've often
seen them go to sleep under the starlight."

"We will row round then till they open--it's worth seeing."

The sun rose in the low-lying mists; it transfused them with crimson. It
mounted above them; shot them through and through with gold and
violet--then dispersed them without warning, and showed to the girl's
charmed eyes and senses the gleaming blue of the lake waters blotched
with the dull green of the lily-pads, and among them the lilies
expanding the fragrant white of their corollas to its beneficent light
and warmth....

* * * * *

When she left the boat his kiss was on her lips, his words of love
ringing in her ears. One more of her day dreams was realized: she had
given to the man she loved with all her heart her first kiss--and with
it, on her part, the unspoken pledge of herself.

A movement somewhere about the house, the lowing of the cattle, the
morning breeze stirring in the trees--something startled them. They drew
apart, smiling into each other's eyes. She placed her finger on her
lips.

"Hush!" she whispered. She was off on a run across the lawn, turning
once to wave her hand to him.--And now _this_!

How could this then that she had just been told be true?

Her whole being revolted at the thought that he was tampering with what