afraid, darling; that was the reason. You see, I knew what a
shock I gave you when I bounced into the vestry. And then all through
the service I was watching you, and noticed how agitated you were. I
wanted to speak to you at once when the service was over, but, no, I
was captured by the whole congregation and when at last I was able to
look around, you were nowhere to be seen. Suspecting that you might be
here, I hurried over as fast as I could, and when I beheld you standing
by this tree looking a thousand times more lovely than ever, I lost my
head completely, and, oh, you know the rest. It was all your fault,
darling, and so don't blame me. If you will persist in being so
charming, you must put up with the result."

"But was that really the whole reason?" Nell asked. "Wasn't there
something else? You said you were afraid, did you not?"

"Now you are cornering me," Douglas laughed. "Yes, I confess I was
afraid of the questions you might ask about my strange behaviour in
coming to Rixton in disguise. I felt that you were offended, and so
great was my love, I was in no mood to have parts of the Catechism
hurled at me. Just imagine my standing before you like a child, and
being asked, 'What is your name?' and meekly answering, 'Douglas
Stanton, ma'm.' Then, 'Who gave you this name?' and I would say that
my godfathers and godmothers gave it to me in my baptism. And you
would ask me, 'Why are you so ashamed of your name that you take
another?' Now, as that is not in the Catechism, it would have been
more difficult for me to answer, and so I would have blundered and
stumbled and made such a fool of myself that you would have despised
me. No, I could not endure that, and so I acted with audacious
boldness. You are not sorry, are you?"

"No, I am glad now, although it was a terrible shock to me at first. I
had no idea that you loved me so much. Isn't it wonderful!"

"I loved you ever since I first saw you, Nell," and Douglas drew her
closer to him. "And I shall love you always. Nothing can separate us
now."

"But this war will," was the low response. "You are going away, and I
may never see you again. How can I get along without you?"

"Only for a while, darling. I shall come back to you some day, and
while we are parted from each other, our love will support us and keep
us strong and brave. But I shall not be leaving for several weeks yet,
so during that time we can be so happy together."

"I