let the brethren hear you talk like that, or they'll lynch
you," said the doctor, with a laugh. "Mrs. MacGlowrie simply had an
attack of faintness from some overexertion, that's all."

Nevertheless, he was uneasy as he walked away. Mrs. MacGlowrie had
evidently received a shock which was still unexplained, and, in spite of
Slocum's exaggerated fancy, there might be some foundation in his story.
He did not share the man's superstition, although he was not a skeptic
regarding magnetism. Yet even then, the widow's action was one of
repulsion, and as long as she was strong enough not to come to these
meetings, she was not in danger. A day or two later, as he was passing
the garden of the hotel on horseback, he saw her lithe, graceful,
languid figure bending over one of her favorite flower beds. The high
fence partially concealed him from view, and she evidently believed
herself alone. Perhaps that was why she suddenly raised herself from her
task, put back her straying hair with a weary, abstracted look, remained
for a moment quite still staring at the vacant sky, and then, with
a little catching of her breath, resumed her occupation in a dull,
mechanical way. In that brief glimpse of her charming face, Blair was
shocked at the change; she was pale, the corners of her pretty mouth
were drawn, there were deeper shades in the orbits of her eyes, and in
spite of her broad garden hat with its blue ribbon, her light flowered
frock and frilled apron, she looked as he fancied she might have looked
in the first crushing grief of her widowhood. Yet he would have passed
on, respecting her privacy of sorrow, had not her little spaniel
detected him with her keener senses. And Fluffy being truthful--as dogs
are--and recognizing a dear friend in the intruder, barked joyously.

The widow looked up, her eyes met Blair's, and she reddened. But he was
too acute a lover to misinterpret what he knew, alas! was only confusion
at her abstraction being discovered. Nevertheless, there was something
else in her brown eyes he had never seen before. A momentary lighting
up of RELIEF--of even hopefulness--in his presence. It was enough for
Blair; he shook off his old shyness like the dust of his ride, and
galloped around to the front door.

But she met him in the hall with only her usual languid good humor.
Nevertheless, Blair was not abashed.

"I can't put you in splints and plaster like Fluffy, Mrs. MacGlowrie,"
he said, "but I can forbid you to