r's reply may be will not change my love or my
intentions. For I am determined that you shall be my wife."

With these words, and one long, lingering look, he turned and left her.
He had lacked the courage to speak of his father's bitterness and
animosity. Who will blame him? Cynthia thought none the less of him for
not telling her. There was, indeed, no need now to describe Dudley
Worthington's feelings.

When the door had closed she stoke to the window, and listened to his
footfalls in the snow until she heard them no more.

CONISTON

BOOK IV

CHAPTER XI

The next morning Cynthia's heart was heavy as she greeted her new friends
at Miss Sadler's school. Life had made a woman of her long ago, while
these girls had yet been in short dresses, and now an experience had come
to her which few, if any, of these could ever know. It was of no use for
her to deny to herself that she loved Bob Worthington--loved him with the
full intensity of the strong nature that was hers. To how many of these
girls would come such a love? and how many would be called upon to make
such a renunciation as hers had been? No wonder she felt out of place
among them, and once more the longing to fly away to Coniston almost
overcame her. Jethro would forgive her, she knew, and stretch out his
arms to receive her, and understand that some trouble had driven her to
him.

She was aroused by some one calling her name--some one whose voice
sounded strangely familiar. Cynthia was perhaps the only person in the
school that day who did not know that Miss Janet Duncan had entered it.
Miss Sadler certainly knew it, and asked Miss Duncan very particularly
about her father and mother and even her brother. Miss Sadler knew, even
before Janet's unexpected arrival, that Mr. and Mrs. Duncan had come to
Boston after Christmas, and had taken a large house in the Back Bay in
order to be near their son at Harvard. Mrs. Duncan was, in fact, a
Bostonian, and more at home there than at any other place.

Miss Sadler observed with a great deal of astonishment the warm embrace
that Janet bestowed on Cynthia. The occurrence started in Miss Sadler a
train of thought, as a result of which she left the drawing-room where
these reunions were held, and went into her own private study to write a
note. This she addressed to Mrs. Alexander Duncan, at a certain number on
Beacon Street, and sent it out to be posted immediately. In the meantime,
Janet Duncan had