e said, with a fat chuckle, "but that's a
road Miss Blythe 'll niver travel again, I reckon. Her said good-by to
rayson, and shook hands a many hears ago. It's a bit too late i' life to
patch up the quarrel betwigst 'em now."

The old man's paces were so leisurely and heavy and Ruth's so quick and
light that she was in the room before he had formulated this opinion,
and stood at the looking-glass regarding Reuben's reflection in its
dimly illumined depths as she patted and smoothed the ribbons beneath
her chin.

"Let us hope not, father," she said; and then turning upon Reuben, "I am
ready."

He offered her his arm and she took it. It was the simple fashion of
the time and place. No engaged lovers took an airing of a dozen yards
without that outward sign of the tie between them. They walked along in
the soft summer evening, pitying Ezra and Rachel in gentle whispers.

"I was thinking just now if you and I should part, dear--if their case
were ours!"

"Oh, Reuben!"

And so the grief of the old was a part of the joy of the young,
tender-hearted as they were. They played round the mournful old history.

"But you would speak, Reuben? You would never let me go without a word?"

"And if I didn't speak, dear? If something held me back from speaking?"

"But you wouldn't let it hold you back."

"Not now, darling. But I might have done yesterday--before I knew."

Before he knew! He must have always known! But of that she would say
nothing.

In front of the one village shop in which the pair of window candles
still glimmered, they paused, while Reuben searched his pocket-book
for the note, and then went on again, in perfumed darkness, until they
reached the gate of Rachel's cottage.

"Be brave, darling," Reuben whispered here. "Don't let her repulse you
easily."

Ruth entered at the gate, stole on tiptoe along the gravelled path,
knocked and listened. The whole front of the little house was in
darkness, but by-and-by even Reuben from his post behind the hedge heard
the faint noise made by slippered feet in the oil-clothed hall. "Who's
there?" said' a voice from within.

"Dear aunt," Ruth answered, "let me in. Do, please, let me in. I want to
speak to you."

Reuben, listening, heard the sound of the jarring chain, and the door
was opened. He peeped through the interstices of the hedge, and saw Miss
Blythe smiling in the light of the candle she carried in her left hand.

"Dear niece," said Rachel, with an unusu