is only her stepfather," he reasoned, "and I
am to be her husband: she loves me."

_Did_ she love him? The question always brought a pain under his plump
chest and neat waistcoat which he could not explain; he thrust it
hastily away. But he loitered about the room, thinking how sweet it
would be if this childish creature would praise or find fault with
buttons or whiskers in her childish way. Kitty, however, crocheted on
calmly, and saw neither. The sun was near its setting. The clover-fields
stretched out dry and brown in its warm light, to where the melancholy
shadows gathered about the wooded creeks.

Mr. Muller looked wistfully out of the window, and then at her. "Suppose
you come and walk with me?" he said presently.

Kitty glanced out, and settled herself more comfortably in her
rocking-chair. "It is very pleasant here," smiling.

He thought he would go home: in fact, he did not know what else to do.
The room was very quiet, they were quite alone. The evening light fell
on Catharine; her hands had fallen on her lap; she was thinking so
intently of her Mystery that she had forgotten he was there. How white
her bent neck was, with the rings of brown hair lying on it! There was a
deeper pink than usual on her face, too, as though her thoughts were
pleasant. He came closer, bent over her chair, touched her hair with one
chubby finger, and started back red and breathless.

"Did you speak?" said Kitty, looking up.

"I'm going home. I only wanted to say good bye."

"So soon? Good-bye. I shall see you to-morrow, I suppose?" taking up her
work.

"Yes, Kitty--"

"Well?"

"I have never bidden you good-bye except by shaking hands. Could I kiss
you? I have thought about that every day since you promised to marry
me."

The pleasant rose-tinge was gone now: even the soft lips, which were
dangerously close, were colorless: "You can kiss me if you want to. I
suppose it's right."

The little man drew back gravely. "Never mind; it's no matter. I had
made up my mind never to ask for it until you seemed to be able to give
me real wifely love."

She started up. "I can do no more than I have done," vehemently. "And
I'm tired of hearing of myself as a wife. I'd as soon consider myself as
a grandmother."

Mr. Muller waited a moment, too shocked and indignant to speak: then he
took up his hat and went to the door. "Good-night, my child," he said
kindly, "To-morrow you will be your better self."

Kitty knew nothing of