s had left his eyes, and there was a dark look
there--of hopeless anxiety and pain.

"I do not wish to force you, Gerty--to persecute you," said he. "You are
our guest. But before you go away, cannot you give me one definite word
of promise and hope--only one word?"

"I am quite sure you don't want to persecute me, Keith," said she, "but
you should remember there is a long time of waiting before us, and there
will be plenty of opportunity for explaining and arranging everything
when we have leisure to write--"

"To write!" he exclaimed. "But I am coming to see you, Gerty! Do you
think I could go through another series of long months, with only those
letters, and letters, and letters to break one's heart over? I could not
do it again. Gerty. And when you have visited your friends in Aberdeen,
I am coming lo London."

"Why, Keith, there is the shooting!"

"I do not think I shall try the shooting this year--it is an anxiety--I
cannot have patience with it. I am coming to London, Gerty."

"Oh, very well, Keith," said she, with an affectation of cheerful
content; "then there is no use in our taking a solemn good-by just
now--is there? You know how I hate scenes. And we shall part very good
friends, shall we not? And when you come to London, we shall make up all
our little differences, and have everything on a clear understanding. Is
it a bargain? Here comes your cousin Janet--now show her that we are
good friends, Keith! And, for goodness' sake, don't say that you mean to
give up your shooting this year, or she will wonder what I have made of
you. Give up your shooting! Why, a woman would as soon give up her right
of being incomprehensible and whimsical and capricious--her right of
teasing people, as I very much fear I have been teasing you, Keith. But
it will be all set right when you come to London."

And from that moment to the moment of her departure Miss White seemed to
breathe more freely, and she took less care to avoid Keith Macleod in
her daily walks and ways. There was at last quite a good understanding
between them, as the people around imagined.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

AFRAID.

But the very first thing she did on reaching home again was to write to
Macleod begging him to postpone his visit to London. What was the use?
The company of which she formed a part was most probably going on an
autumn tour; she was personally very busy. Surely it would not much
interest him to be present at the production o