d to tell her of his intentions
before he carried them out would be to subject her to needless days of
suspense and possibly affect his own sense of duty. Now that it was all
over, she must be the first to be told, and how much he dreaded it only
those who have passed through the same experiences can tell. He scarcely
slept at all that night, and when he presented himself at her house the
next day, just before church time, he looked pale and haggard. It was an
unusual thing for him to call at that hour, and when Liddy met him her
heart sank. Without any formality he asked her to put on her wraps and
take a ride.

"I have come to tell you all," he said, "and I can talk better away from
the house, and where we are alone."

When they were well on their way and driving along the wooded road
toward the top of one of the Blue Hills--a lookout point whence all
Southton's area could be seen--he turned his face and looked at hers for
the first time since starting. What he saw there smote his heart.

"It's a nice day for a ride, isn't it, Liddy?" he said pleasantly,
trying hard to act natural.

Her answer was peculiar.

"I can't talk of the day or anything else, Charlie, till I know the
worst. Remember, you have kept me in suspense four long, weary weeks.
Tell me now as soon as you can."

He made no reply, and spoke not another word until they reached the
lookout place. In silence he assisted her to alight, and taking the
carriage robe, he spread it upon a rock where they had often sat viewing
the landscape below. Then he said, in a low voice:

"Please sit down, Liddy. I've fixed a nice seat for you, and now I can
talk to you."

Then their eyes met for the second time since starting. Her face and
lips were pale, and her eyes full of fear. She clasped her hands before
her face as if to ward off the coming blow.

"Tell me now," she said hurriedly, "tell me the worst, only tell me
quickly! I've suffered long enough!"

He looked at her a moment pityingly, dreading to deal the blow, and
trying to frame it into suitable words--and then it came.

"Liddy," he said in a husky whisper, "I love you, and I've enlisted!"

A brief sentence, but what a message!

A woman's heaven and a woman's hell in six words!

For one instant she looked at him, until its full force came to her and
then she burst into tears, and the next moment she was in a heap on the
robe-covered rock and sobbing like a child. Instantly he was beside her,
g