ide was swept away.

"Miriam!" he cried, his hands eagerly seeking and seizing hers, only
faintly resisting. "There was no _need_ to tell." He was standing facing
her now, close to the curtained window, his back toward the twittering
trio near the dining-room door and imperceptibly edging thither at Mrs.
Stannard's suggestion of coffee. Was this prearranged? Bob never saw
nor heeded. _She_ did, however, and well knew its meaning, and the woman
in her, that thrilled and throbbed at sight of the passion in his eyes
the worship in his face coquetting with her own delight would have torn
herself away to follow them, but her little hands were held in a grasp
against which she might struggle in vain. He was lifting them to his
heart, and as he drew them he was drawing her. She had to come, her long
curling lashes sweeping the soft cheeks, now once more blushing like the
dawn. "Oh, Mr. Lanier," he heard her murmur, as though pleading and
warning. One swift glance he tossed over his shoulder at the last form
vanishing through the doorway, then his dark eyes, glowing and
rejoiceful, fastened on hers, and quick and fervent came the next words:
"There is only one thing that need be told--that _must_ be told, because
I've just been brimming over with it all these weeks" (ah, how the
bonny head was drooping now, but drooping toward him), "and now I can
keep it back no longer. Miriam, Miriam, I love you--I love you! Have you
nothing to tell me?"

One instant of thrilling suspense, then with a sob welling up from her
burdened heart, the barrier of her pride and reserve went as his had
gone a moment ago. "Oh, you know--you _know_ it! Who _hasn't_ known it
since that awful night?" she cried, and then found herself folded,
weeping uncontrollably, almost deliriously, in his arms, his lips
raining kisses on the warm, wet cheek. A moment he held her
close-wrapped to his heart, then gradually, yet with irresistible power,
turned upward the tear-stained, blushing, exquisite face, so that he
could feast his eyes upon her beauty, then with joy unutterable, his
lips sank upon the soft, quivering mouth in the first love kiss she had
ever known, and their troubles vanished into heaven at the touch.

Mrs. Stannard, you were a jewel and a general. Now, how about the major?

"For conference with the Judge-Advocate of the Department," read the
order that summoned him, and from that conference forth went our doughty
dragoon in search of conquest.