ations. His
constraint and solemnity of mien she attributed to physical suffering
combined with distress of mind over the charges she believed to have
been laid at his door; and, while avoiding all mention of that subject,
it was her earnest desire to show him by every trick of woman's
infinite variety and shade of manner that she had nothing but
admiration for his soldierly conduct, and trust and friendship for him
in his troubles. Poor Mac was but vague, unresponsive, and embarrassed
in his acknowledgments, and then--she noted how his eyes were
constantly wandering away up the road, and, with woman's quick
intuition, divined that he was out there for no other purpose than to
watch for the return of the doctor's carriage.

Presently it came in sight, driving rapidly, and, recalling everything
that she had heard from Mr. Holmes in their recent talks of the
doctor's distrust and antipathy toward McLean, Miss Forrest quickly
arose and stepped to the end of the gallery. She had determined that
the young soldier should not be balked in so modest a hope as that of
seeing and being seen by the girl he loved. She felt assured that
unless he was signalled or checked in some way the doctor would drive
by "full tilt," and, with the quickness of thought, she had formed her
plan. The sight of Fanny Forrest, standing at the north end of the
gallery and holding aloft her white palm in the exact gesture of the
Indian and frontiersman signalling "stop," was enough to make him bring
the powerful team back on their haunches directly in front of the
steps, and, before a word could be said in explanation, there, flushing
feebly, was Randall McLean, striving to lift himself from his nest of
robes and pillows, and salute the lady of his heart.

Lachlan stepped quickly forward from the hall and, with him on one side
and Miss Forrest smiling on the other, McLean was half lifted to the
railing, where he could look right into the bonnie face he longed to
see. Nellie Bayard, sitting nearest him, flushed crimson at the first
glimpse at the tall, gaunt figure, and her little hand tightly closed
beneath the lap-robe on the sturdier fingers of Miss Bruce. A joyous
light danced only one instant in her eyes, and died out as quickly as
the flush upon her cheek at sight of Miss Forrest's supporting arm. Was
this, then, the engagement which prevented her acceptance of the
doctor's offer? Was this the way in which the hero of her girlish
dreams should be