his--but she looked really disturbed, and he
had no desire to commit another imprudence. And he thought, too, that he
again had seen in her eyes the same hopeful, wistful light he had once
seen before, and was happy.

This led him, I fear, to indulge in wilder dreams. His practice,
although increasing, barely supported him, and the widow was rich. Her
business had been profitable, and she had repaid the advances made her
when she first took the hotel. But this disparity in their fortunes
which had frightened him before now had no fears for him. He felt that
if he succeeded in winning her affections she could afford to wait for
him, despite other suitors, until his talents had won an equal position.
His rivals had always felt as secure in his poverty as they had in his
peaceful profession. How could a poor, simple doctor aspire to the hand
of the rich widow of the redoubtable MacGlowrie?

It was late one afternoon, and the low sun was beginning to strike
athwart the stark columns and down the long aisles of the redwoods on
the High Ridge. The doctor, returning from a patient at the loggers'
camp in its depths, had just sighted the smaller groves of Laurel
Springs, two miles away. He was riding fast, with his thoughts filled
with the widow, when he heard a joyous bark in the underbrush, and
Fluffy came bounding towards him. Blair dismounted to caress him, as
was his wont, and then, wisely conceiving that his mistress was not far
away, sauntered forward exploringly, leading his horse, the dog hounding
before him and barking, as if bent upon both leading and announcing him.
But the latter he effected first, for as Blair turned from the trail
into the deeper woods, he saw the figures of a man and woman walking
together suddenly separate at the dog's warning. The woman was Mrs.
MacGlowrie--the man was the revival preacher!

Amazed, mystified, and indignant, Blair nevertheless obeyed his first
instinct, which was that of a gentleman. He turned leisurely aside as
if not recognizing them, led his horse a few paces further, mounted him,
and galloped away without turning his head. But his heart was filled
with bitterness and disgust. This woman--who but a few days before
had voluntarily declared her scorn and contempt for that man and his
admirers--had just been giving him a clandestine meeting like one of the
most infatuated of his devotees! The story of the widow's fainting,
the coarse surmises and comments of Slocum, came bac