t imperceptible pause before
he spoke? And did the gay tone of the minute before undergo ever so
slight a modification? Leo made answer with rather forced jocularity.

"It would be my ruse for throwing you off, don't you see? I should not
be positive absolutely that Maud was there, or anywhere--but you could
look. You _might_ find her--or you might not. But anyhow you would not
find me if you came back."

"I am to give you a wide berth then, always?"

"Always."

CHAPTER XIV.

PAUL GOES--AND RETURNS.

"Is Paul going to stay here _all_ the time?" abruptly demanded Leonore
one day.

"That's what I want to know." Her father's voice made answer from the
depths of an easy-chair; and it was a disconcerting answer, for he had
been unobserved, indeed unseen. Had his head appeared above the back of
the chair, Leo would have left the library as suddenly as she had
entered it. She had thought Sue was alone.

"Of course if he wishes to stay, he can," proceeded the general, laying
down his paper; "but it's a monstrous long time--that's to say,
hum--ha--there are still three weeks till the twenty-fifth, and he has
been here three weeks already."

"I am sure he is the best of guests," said Sue, gently.

"Oh, the best of guests, no doubt. Bothers nobody. Still----"

"Has anything been said?"--interposed Leo. She was drawing quick,
impatient breaths, and had an air of giving battle, if not replied to as
desired.

No, nothing had been said, but Sue believed----

"If you only _believe_, that's no good. Can't you tell him to go? Can't
you say it isn't the thing for him to stay on and on?"----

"My dear Leo!"

"Highty-tighty!--" simultaneously ejaculated the general, "here's
fierceness!" But he looked amused. "If Paul were your sweetheart, young
lady, you wouldn't be in such a hurry to have him sent to the
right-about. However, there's something in it, Sue."

Sue looked distressed. "Remember what you said when he first came,
father. How repeatedly you told him to make this his headquarters,--and
there is another thing. The engagement took place so soon after he and
Maud met, that they could not have known very much of each other. Hardly
enough, perhaps. Don't you think it is as well----"

"What is there to know?" struck in Leo, vehemently. "If they are in
love, as we presume they are----" she stopped short.

"Certainly," murmured Sue.

"Why, aye, that's all that's needed, no doubt," assented the general,
wit