, if it broke up his friendship with Geoff,
and perhaps interfered with their partnership so that one or other of them
must leave the High Valley, Clover felt that it would grievously mar her
contentment. There was no use in planning anything till they knew how he
would feel and act. In any case, she realized that they were bound to
consider him before themselves, and make it as easy and as little painful
as possible. If he were vexatious, they must be patient; if sulky, they
must be forbearing.

Phil opened his eyes very wide at the pair sitting so coseyly over the
fire when at last he came in.

"I say, have _you_ been here all the evening?" he cried. "Well, that's a
sell! I wouldn't have gone out if I'd known."

"We've missed you very much," quoth Geoff; and then he laughed as at some
extremely good joke, and Clover laughed too.

"You seem to have kept up your spirits pretty well, considering," remarked
Phil, dryly. Boys of eighteen are not apt to enjoy jokes which do not
originate with themselves; they are suspicious of them.

"I suppose I must go now," said Geoff, looking at his watch; "but I shall
see you again before I leave. I'll come in to-morrow after I've met my
man."

"All right," said Phil; "I won't go out till you come."

"Oh, pray don't feel obliged to stay in. I can't at all tell when I shall
be able to get through with the fellow."

"Come to dinner if you can," suggested Clover. "Phil is sure to be at home
then."

Lovers are like ostriches. Geoff went away just shaking hands casually,
and was very particular to say "Miss Carr;" and he and Clover felt that
they had managed so skilfully and concealed their secret so well; yet the
first remark made by Phil as the door shut was, "Geoff seems queer
to-night, somehow, and so do you. What have you been talking about all the
evening?"

An observant younger brother is a difficult factor in a love affair.

Two days passed. Clover looked in vain for a note from the High Valley to
say how Clarence had borne the revelation; and she grew more nervous with
every hour. It was absolutely necessary now to dismantle the house, and
she found a certain relief in keeping exceedingly busy. Somehow the
break-up had lost its inexplicable pain, and a glad little voice sang all
the time at her heart, "I shall come back; I shall certainly come back.
Papa will let me, I am sure, when he knows Geoff, and how nice he is."

She was at the dining-table wrapping a row of bo