. There are all sorts of stops and starts on the
Quebec branch, so that you don't arrive till next morning, but you get
to Montreal in five or six hours. But the whole thing seems perfectly
frantic. I don't see why we pay the slightest attention to it! Of
_course_, papa has stayed over in Springfield for something; only he's
usually so careful about telegraphing us if he changes his plans--"

She faltered, and let the book drop. Matt picked it up for her, and
began to look at the time-table, at first to hide the pain he felt at
the self-discouragement in which she ended, and then to see if he might
not somehow be useful to her. "I see that a train from Boston meets the
Springfield train at Wellwater."

"Does there?" She bent to look over the book with him, and he felt the
ungovernable thrill at being near the beauty of a woman's face which a
man never knows whether to be ashamed of or glad of, but which he cannot
help feeling. "Then perhaps I had better go by way of Boston. What time
does it start? Oh, I see! Seven, thirty. I could get that train--if I
don't hear from him at Springfield. But I know I shall hear."

A stir of drapery made them aware of Louise at the library door. Suzette
went toward her, "Are you going?" she asked, without apparently sharing
the surprise Matt felt at seeing his sister with her hat and gloves on,
and her jacket over her arm.

"Yes, I'm going, Sue. I just ran up to see you--I had to do that--but we
both know I'm of no use here; and so we won't make any pretences."
Louise spoke very steadily, almost coldly; her brother did not quite
know what to make of her; she was pale, and she looked down, while she
spoke. But when she finished buttoning the glove she was engaged with,
she went up and put both her hands in Suzette's. "I don't need to tell
you that I'm going just to get myself out of your way. It isn't a time
for ornamental friend-shipping, and you've got all the good you could
out of seeing me, and knowing that I'm anxious with you. That's about
all there is of it, and I guess we'd better not spin it out. But
remember, Sue, whenever you need me, when you really want me, you can
send for me, and if I don't come again till you do, you'll know that I'm
simply waiting. Will you remember that--_whatever_ happens?"

Matt gave a long tacit sigh of relief.

"Yes, I will, Louise," said Suzette. They kissed each other as if in
formal ratification of their compact, which meant so much more to o