passed much as usual, only Arnault appeared in the ascendant.

"He is going to town in a day or two," pleaded the diplomat, after
dinner.

"And I'm going trouting," Graydon replied.

"When?"

"Soon."

"Only for a day, I suppose."

"It depends on my luck. You will get on better when I'm away."

"It's cruel for you to speak like that," she replied, her eyes
moistening.

"I suppose it is," was his rueful reply; "but I can be more patient, I
imagine, back in the mountains than here."

"But how about poor me?"

"That is a question that I often ask myself, Miss Wildmere, but you
alone can answer it. As far as I am able to judge, you can meet the
problem in your mind, whatever it is, as well, if not better, in my
absence. You must understand me, and I have promised to be reasonably
patient."

"Very well, Mr. Muir," she replied, in apparent sadness, "I will try
not to tax your patience beyond what you well term reason."

"Something far beyond reason, and--I may add--pride also, permits you
to tax it all. I would rather not revert to this topic again. It is
embarrassing to us both. I cannot help saying, however, that it is
essential to my happiness that the present state of affairs should
soon cease."

"If it were only present happiness that one had to consider--" she
began, and then hastened away.

Thus she played upon his sympathy, and held him by the generous side
of his nature.

But he determined not to give Arnault the pleasure of seeing him wait
for the crumbs of time that fell from his table, and he delighted
Madge, having sought her out on the piazza, by remarking: "It is so
cool to-day I do not see why we cannot start at once. I shall not find
the time too long, for you can talk as well as ride."

She made good his words, and gave wings to the hours. Among the scenes
through which they passed, she reminded him, not of an exotic or a
stray tropical bird, but rather of the ideal mountain nymph humanized,
developed into modern life, the strong original forces of nature
harmonized into perfect womanhood, yet unimpaired. Her smiles, her
piquant words, and, above all, the changing expression of her
lovely eyes, affected him subtilely, and again imparted a rising
exhilaration. Her thoughts came not like the emptying of a cup, but
rippled forth like a sparkling rill from some deep and exhaustless
supply. And what reservoir is more inexhaustible than the love of a
heart like hers?--a love born as naturally