could be humbly
thankful now for the two words that spoke of an inner bond.

But all day she could not get rid of that feeling of suspense that had
been hers for five days past; the strain was to end, of course, with
Justin's return, but it had not ended--in some sad, weighting fashion it
seemed just to have begun. What was he so worried about? Was she never
to hear any more?

That night Girard came over, but with him was another visitor--William
Snow. No sun could brown that baby-fair skin of William's, but he had an
indefinably large and Western air; the very way in which he wore his
clothes showed his independence. Dosia did not notice his swift, covert,
shamefaced glance at her when she came into the room where he was
talking to Lois--his avoidance of her the year before had dropped clear
out of her mind; but his expression changed to one of complacent delight
as she ran to him instantly and clasped his arm with both hands to cry,
"Oh, Billy, Billy, I'm so glad to see you! I am so glad--I can't tell
you how glad I am!"

[Illustration: "STOOD THERE LEANING AGAINST 'DADDY'S' SIDE"]

"All right, Sweetness, you're not going to lose me again," said William
encouragingly. "My, but you do knock the spots out of those Western
girls. Can't we go in the dining-room by ourselves? I want to ask you to
marry me before we talk any more."

"Yes, do," said Dosia, dimpling.

It was sweet to be chaffed, to be heedlessly young once more, to take
refuge from all disconcerting thoughts--from a new embarrassment--with
Billy, in the corner of the other room, where she sat in a low chair,
and he dragged up an ottoman close in front of her. Through the open
window the scent of honeysuckle came in with the gloom.

"Oh, but you've grown pretty!" he said, his hands clasped over his
knees, gazing at her. "That's right, get pink--it makes you prettier. I
like this slimpsy sort of dress you've got on; I like that black velvet
around your throat; I--have you missed me much?"

"No," said Dosia, with the old-time sparkle. "I've hardly thought of you
at all. But I feel now as if I had."

Billy nodded. "All right, I'll pay you up for that some day. Oh, Dosia,
you may think I'm joking, but I'm not! There have been days and nights
when I've done nothing but plan the things I was going to do and say to
make you care for me--but they're all gone the moment I lay eyes on you.
I'll talk of whatever you like afterward, but I've got to say
first"-