watched the shadows lengthen across the valley. Sudd
he thinks I'm moping and sighing in my room. Moreover, I shall not let my shadows make a background for the banker's general prosperity. Stately and patronizing he cannot help being, and Miss Warren may lead
o wait. As the sun sank below the horizon, the banker appeared. "Very ap
he surrounding objects of interest, and he was listening w
ered. "The idea of anything going
seat with Reuben, and that he was letting her d
e in return was very benign, for it was evident that, in their plac
That trunk that fills half the rockaway doesn't look as if he had come to spend Sunday
arlor bedroom, on the ground floor, and I he
d have been happy enough had I remained here and sighed like a f
ething to Mrs. Yocomb, but I soon hea
less and rather unsteady tread. Excitement, however, lent me a transient strength, and I felt as if the presence of the banker would give me sinew
way that suggested a habit of complacency and self-felicitati
ton, I p
earn. I congratulate yo
ith an accident. Glad to see you able to be down, for from
to-day, sir," I
ng so pleasant a place of summer sojourn. It will form a delightful contrast to great hotels and jostling crowds." I now saw Mi
hen she looked distressed. Was Mrs. Yocomb telling her of my profane and awful mood? I lent an inattentive ear to Mr. Hearn's excellent reaso
tones, "that it will also be just the place for my little gi
ly, "they are nice peopl
k a step toward the door, then pau
exclaimed, "what does the
that will astonish you
give thee leav
to-morrow, so I haven
seeing that I had recognized her, she cam
than I that you are
prise me, and I also noted that what must have been a vivid color was fading
!" I thought. "I wish y
with great apparent fr
h better to-night, and
. Yocomb, "thee has st
ee'll be the
our captive has escaped. I'm goi
s if I ought to take thee
ho now stood staring at me in the doorway, "I
g to give thee a grand ovation to-morrow, and mother
. Hearn's ample waistcoat; but I leaned back
. Yocomb, now that I know I've escaped
really feel s
ver felt bette
make of thee," she sai
le knew what a case I was
down to supper, and have what thee pleases. Thee may a
may go too far. To-morrow is Sunday, Mrs. Yocomb, and I'll be as g
oo long in the background. "I congratulate you. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs. Yocomb," with a courtly bend toward them, "I
I looked very ridiculous," and I turned a quick, mischievous glance t
, "your appearance did no
lied, dryly. "At any rate, I much p
of the most interested parties, to thank
little brusquely. "Thanks do not a
uben, looking in a
umed. "Even after being struck by lig
ee needn't think thee's going to palm that thi
hen said to me, "You look so well and genial to-nig
mp; for, as Reuben says, we
er thee was sick. 'Twas mighty lucky thee wasn'
" said Mr. Hearn, feelingly. "It was really a providen
indow. Reuben evidently had not liked the term "young lad,"
I guess thee thinks thee ha
en I brought thee home from meeting. Never was a stranger so taken in before. I don't believe thee'll
Yocomb and Miss Warren looked uncomfortably conscious of wha
e kindness received in this home has repaid me a thousand times. With a sick
smiling to herself, but met in the doorway Adah and the little stranger-a girl of about the same age as Zillah, with large, vivid black eyes, and long dark hair. Zillah was follo
ad-I'm so glad
ong to make so shy a child for
"I told you that your
y Warren's roses too," p
g. "Well, there's no escapi
Warren, but saw that Mr.
ught. "Can he be fool
t trust herself to enter. I put Zillah down, and crossing the ro
. I'm going to have the honor of taking you out to supper." I placed her hand on my arm, and its thrill and tremble touched my very soul. In my thoughts I said, "It's all a wretched muddle, and, as the b
re. I seemingly had done the very thing she would have wished me to do. As we bowed our heads in grace, I was graceless enough to growl, u
her face now was quiet and pale, and I was compelled to believe that for
the head of the table, "thy cheeks are
" she said. "Does thee remember, Richard, w
ion lest Mr. Yocomb should discover whom, in h
ed the old gentleman. "Good is
t before," remarked Mr. Hearn
a reporter I called on you on
not extract the information as if it had been a tooth. Your manner was not that of a
rhaps that is tru
me that a reporter's lot must frequently bring
d Adah, a trifle indignantly; "he's
rowing much more benign; "why, E
e of Mr. Morton
that I have mistaken my calling,
Yocomb would not even trust you
ly. But I must correct your impressions, Miss Adah. I'm not the dig
ight very well. I hope it may be the earnest
more than once at Miss Warren when I spoke, and I imag
farmhouse that night. I merely did what any man would have done, and could have done just as well. My action involved no personal peril, and no hardship worth naming. My illness resulted from my own folly. I'd been over
chard," she said
rn, you will not be led to expect more
e your modesty, you
my words had any leaning toward affectation. I wished to state the actual truth
benignly, and his smile was
been led to believe that you cherish a high and scrupulous sense
to you?" I merely bowed a trifle coldly to this tribute and suggestive statement, and turned the conver
y measures?" I thought. "He'd better