is
an abuse of my friends' hospitality."

"No, no!" she exclaimed quickly. "We are all glad to have you with
us--we were so pleased when--when at last you came out of your shell,
Garth"--with a faint smile.

"Still the fact remains that I am outside the social pale. I had no
business to thrust myself in amongst you. However--after this--you may
rest assured that I shan't offend again."

"I decline to rest assured of anything of the kind," asserted Audrey
with determination. "Don't be such a fool, Garth--or so unfair to your
friends. Just because you chance to have met a women who, for some
reason, chooses to cut you, doesn't alter our friendship for you in the
very least. What Mrs. Durward may have against you I don't know--and I
don't care either. _I_ have nothing against you, and I don't propose
to give any pal of mine the go-by because some one else happens to have
quarreled with him."

Trent's eyes were curiously soft as he answered her.

"Thank you for that," he said earnestly. "All the same, I think you will
have to make up your mind to allow your--friend, as you are good enough
to call me, to go to the wall. You, and others like you, dragged him
out, but, believe me, his place is not in the centre of the room. There
are others besides Mrs. Durward who would give you the reason why, if
you care to know it."

"I don't care to know it," responded Audrey firmly. "In fact, I should
decline to recognize any reason against my calling you friend. I don't
intend to let you go, nor will Miles, you'll find."

"Ah! Herrick! He's a good chap, isn't he?" said Trent a little
wistfully.

"We all are--once you get to know us," returned Audrey, persistently
cheerful. "And Sara--Sara won't let you go either, Garth."

His sensitive, bitter mouth twisted suddenly.

"If you don't mind," he said quickly, "we won't talk about Sara. And I
won't keep you any longer from your guests. It was--just like you--to
take it as you have done, Audrey. And if, later on, you find yourself
obliged to revise your opinion of me--I shall understand. And I shall
not resent it."

"I'm not very likely to do what you suggest."

He looked at her with a curious expression on his face.

"I'm afraid it is only too probable," he rejoined simply.

He wrung her hand, and, turning, walked swiftly away through the wood,
while Audrey retraced her footsteps in the direction of the dell.

She was feeling extremely annoyed at what she considered to be