I want
to tell her how much I love her for it."

"Well, if you insist on staying alone," said Ben reluctantly, "I'll bring
Miss Elsie to-morrow, but I don't like your being here without Aunt Cindy
to-night."

"Oh, we're all right!" laughed Marion, "but what I want to know is what
you are doing out so late every night since you've come home, and where
you were gone for the past week?"

"Important business," he answered soberly.

"Business--I expect!" she cried. "Look here, Ben Cameron, have you another
girl somewhere you're flirting with?"

"Yes," he answered slowly, coming closer and his voice dropping to a
whisper, "and her name is Death."

"Why, Ben!" Marion gasped, placing her trembling hand unconsciously on his
arm, a faint flush mantling her cheek and leaving it white.

"What do you mean?" asked the mother in low tones.

"Nothing that I can explain. I only wish to warn you both never to ask me
such questions before any one."

"Forgive me," said Marion, with a tremor. "I didn't think it serious."

Ben pressed the little warm hand, watching her mouth quiver with a smile
that was half a sigh, as he answered:

"You know I'd trust either of you with my life, but I can't be too
careful."

"We'll remember, Sir Knight," said the mother. "Don't forget, then,
to-morrow--and spend the evening with us. I wish I had one of Marion's new
dresses done. Poor child, she has never had a decent dress in her life
before. You know I never look at my pretty baby grown to such a beautiful
womanhood without hearing Henry say over and over again--'Beauty is a sign
of the soul--the body is the soul!'"

"Well, I've my doubts about your improving her with a fine dress," he
replied thoughtfully. "I don't believe that more beautifully dressed women
ever walked the earth than our girls of the South who came out of the war
clad in the pathos of poverty, smiling bravely through the shadows,
bearing themselves as queens though they wore the dress of the
shepherdess."

"I'm almost tempted to kiss you for that, as you once took advantage of
me!" said Marion, with enthusiasm.

The moon had risen and a whippoorwill was chanting his weird song on the
lawn as Ben left them leaning on the gate.

* * * * *

It was past midnight before they finished the last touches in restoring
their nest to its old homelike appearance and sat down happy and tired in
the room in which Marion was born, broodin