a cloud over
the wheat it gloomed a moment and was gone, and she gave herself up to
the influence of the sunny room and Ben's joyous plans.

This vision came back to her when she was alone in her own room an hour
later, and stayed with her persistently. What did it mean? Did it
presage an accident to him, or had it arisen from a vague knowledge of
the cause of his wounding?

This singular and distressing rule governed her dreams of the future.
They were all of sorrow, death, physical calamities; never, or very
rarely, of health and happiness; therefore, she seldom spoke of them.
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," her father was wont to
say, and she had come to the same conclusion. Besides her faith in her
predictive dreams was by no means fixed. She had reached but one
comforting conclusion, and that was negative. If no vision came to
reveal the future of any friend, she rested secure in the belief that he
or she at least was to be free of disaster. It was a sweet and
comforting fact to remember that no vision of Ben's future had ever
entered her consciousness. She did not even dream of him. And this was
still more wonderful, for she had always understood that those we love
are ever in our thoughts in slumber.

For some reason the day had been most wearing, and to dress for dinner
was an effort. But she made herself as lovely as she could for Ben's
sake--and for the sake of the Congdons with whom they were to dine. "We
are to be alone," Lee had 'phoned, "for I want to talk with you like a
Dutch aunt."

Alice knew as well as if Lee had spoken it what was coming. They were
going to protest against Ben's intimacy with the Haneys. And as soon as
they were in their carriage she warned Ben. "You want to be on your
guard to-night. The Congdons are going to advise you against accepting
this retainer from Captain Haney."

He was too happy to do more than jokingly reply: "Too late! Bribe is in
hand, and money mostly spent. What I want to ask you is more important.
When are we to start our 'love in a cottage' idyl? It really looks
possible now. Isn't it beautiful to think we can really keep house out
here and pay our way?"

"Oh, Ben!"--there was a wail in her voice--"I don't seem to gain as I
should! I'm completely tired out to-night."

He was all concern instantly, and putting his arm about her, tenderly
exclaimed: "Dear heart, it was my fault. You shouldn't have gone down at
all."

"But don't you see how r