of all women.

When he had reached the turn of the road, and had come out on the
main one where his house was, and where Charlotte lived, he stood
still, looking in her direction. He seemed to see her, a quarter of a
mile away in the darkness, sitting in her window watching for him, as
Sylvia had watched for Richard.

He set his mouth hard and crossed the road. He had just reached his
own yard when there was the pale flutter of a skirt out of the
darkness before him, and a little shadowy figure met him with a soft
shock. The was a smothered nervous titter from the figure. Barney did
not know who it was; he muttered an apology, and was about to pass
into his yard when Rose Berry's voice arrested him. It was quite
trembling and uncertain; all the laughter had gone out of it.

"Oh, it's you," said she; "you frightened me. I didn't know who it
was."

Barney felt suddenly annoyed without knowing why. "Oh, is it you,
Rose?" he returned, stiffly. "It's a pleasant evening;" then he
turned.

"Barney!" Rose said, and her voice sounded as if she were weeping.

Barney stopped and waited.

"I want to know if--you're mad with me, Barney."

"No, of course I ain't; why?"

"I thought you'd acted kind of queer to me lately."

Barney stood still, frowning in the darkness. "I don't know what you
mean," he said at length. "I don't know how I've treated you any
different from any of the girls."

"You haven't been to see me, and--you've hardly spoken to me since
the cherry party."

"I haven't been to see anybody," said Barney, shortly; and he turned
away again, but Rose caught his arm. "Then you are sure you aren't
mad with me?" she whispered.

"Of course I'm sure," Barney returned, impatiently.

"It would kill me if you were," Rose whispered. She pressed close to
him; he could feel her softly panting against his side, her head sunk
on his shoulder. "I've been worrying about it all these months," she
said in his ear. Her soft curly hair brushed his cheek, but her
little transient influence over him was all gone. He felt angry and
ashamed.

"I haven't thought anything about it," he said, brusquely.

Rose sobbed faintly, but she did not move away from him. Suddenly
that cruel repulsion which seizes mankind towards reptiles and
unsought love seized Barney. He unclasped her clinging hands, and
fairly pushed her away from him. "Good-night, Rose," he said,
shortly, and turned, and went up the path to his own door with
determi