her, and gave himself rich
comfort in this visible and only half specious fulfilment of his youth's
long dream. The daily protection and care of this girl, her welcome,
winsome gayeties and thanks, were his, his! with no one near to claim a
division of shares and only honor to keep account with. His words were
stumbling over these unconfessed distractions when she startled him by
saying,

"I've telegraphed Jeff-Jack that I can travel."

His response was half-resentful. "Did the doctor say you might?"

She gave her tone a shade of mimicry. "Yes, sir, the doctor said I
might." But she changed it to add, "You'll soon be free, John; it's a
matter of only two or three hours." Her playfulness faded into a smile
of gratefulest affection. Johanna, who was passing into the next room,
could not see it, but she easily guessed it by the slight disconcertion
which showed through the smile he gave back.

He dropped his eyes pensively. "To be free isn't everything."

"It is for you just now, John, mighty nearly. You've got a great work
before you, and----"

"Oh, yes, so I've heard." He laughed apologetically and rose to go.

"You don't need to be reminded as badly as you used to," said Fannie,
retaining his hand and looking into his face with open admiration.
"You'll start East to-day, won't you?"

"That depends."

"Now, John, it doesn't do any such thing. It mustn't!"

"I'll let you know later," said John, freeing his grasp. The pressure of
her little hand had got into his pulse. He hurried away.

"She's right," he pondered, as he walked down the populous street, beset
by a vague discomfort, "it mustn't depend. Besides, she's pretty sure
not to stay here. It wouldn't be Jeff-Jack's way to come back; he'll
wire to her to come to him at once. Reckon I'll decide now to go on that
Washington express this evening. I can't afford to let my movements
depend on F-Fannie's--hem! Heaven knows I've taxed the company's
patience enough already."

He told the regretful clerks at his hotel that this was his farewell day
with them, and tried to feel that he had thus burned the last bridge
between himself and indiscretion. He only succeeded in feeling as you
and I--and Garnet--used to feel when we had told our purpose to others
and fibbed to ourselves about the motive. But Garnet had got far beyond
that, understand.

So Vice-President March went to the day's activities paying parting
calls from one private office to another in the int