."

"It is enough," said he. "You have lightened my burden for me as much
as may be--you have made the trial as easy as any can. The rest is for
me. At least I can go feeling that I have not wronged you in any way."

"Yes, Meriwether Lewis," said she quietly, "there has not been one
word or act of yours to cause you regret, or me. You have put no
secret on me that I must keep. That was like a man! I trust you will
find it easy to forget me."

He raised a hand.

"I said, madam, that I am hard to die. I asked you not to wound me
overmuch. Do not talk to me of hopes or sympathy. I do not ask--I will
not have it! Only this remains to comfort me--if I had laid on my soul
the memory of one secret that I had dared to place on yours, ah, then,
how wretched would life be for me forever after! That thought, it
seems to me, I could not endure."

"Go, then, my savage gentleman, and let me----"

"And let you never see my face again?"

She rose and stood looking at him, her own eyes wet with a sudden
moisture.

"Women worth loving are so few!" she said slowly. "Clean men are so
few! How a woman could have loved you, Meriwether Lewis! How some
woman ought to love you! Yes, go now," she concluded. "Yes, go!"

"Mrs. Alston will wait with you here for a few moments," said
Meriwether Lewis to the miller's wife quietly. He stood with his
bridle rein across his arm. "See that she is very comfortable. She
might have a second cup of your good coffee?"

He swung into his saddle, reined his horse about, turned and bowed
formally to his late _vis-a-vis_, who still remained seated at the
table. Then he was off at such speed as left Arcturus no more cause to
fret at his bridle rein.

CHAPTER III

MR. BURR AND MR. MERRY

The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles
or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and
slackened his own speed. He saw two horsemen approaching, both well
mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.

Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all,
who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his
exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding. He was
clad in scrupulous riding costume, and seemed, indeed, a person of
some importance. The badge of some order or society showed on his
breast, and his entire air--intent as he was upon his present business
of keeping company with a skilled horseman--marked him as