e first day of June. It was a royal day, and he entered
the door while the purplish tinge of sunset covered the hills and lay
athwart the doorway.

"Home again," was his first salutation.

"Very welcome," said Hal and father; mother met him cordially, and I
came after them with Clara at my side, and only said:

"How do you do, Mr. Benton?"

He grasped my hand and held it for an instant in a vice-like grasp. I
darted a look of reproof at him, and the abused look he wore at our last
talk came back and settled on his features.

It seemed to me the more I tried to keep out of his way the more fate
would compel me to go near him. Hal was very busy, and it seemed as if
Clara had never spent so much time in her own room as now, when I needed
her so much. Mother was not well, and every afternoon took a long nap,
so I was left down stairs, and no matter which side of the house I was
in he was sure to find me. The third day after his arrival he renewed
his pleading, trying first to compliment me, saying:

"What a royal woman you are, and how queenly you look with your massive
braids of midnight hair fastened with such an exquisite comb!" (Louis'
gift).

"Midnight hair," I said. "I've seen many a midnight when I could read in
its moonlight; black as a crow would be nearer the truth," and I
laughed.

The next sentence was addressed to my teeth. He liked to see me laugh
and show my teeth; they looked like pearls.

"I wish they were," I said, "I'd sell them and buy a nice little house
for poor Matthias to live in."

"Ugh!" he said, and looked perfectly disgusted; but he was not, for he
said more foolish things, and at last launched out into his sober
sentiment. Oh, dear, if I could have escaped all this!

"Have you not missed me? You have not said it."

"I have not missed you at all," I said, "and I do wish you would believe
it."

"You have no welcome, then, no particular words of welcome?"

"Mr. Benton, you know I am a country girl."

"Yes, but you remind me of a city belle in one way. You gather hearts
and throw them away as recklessly as they do, throwing smiles and using
your regal beauty as a fatal charm. I must feel, Miss Minot, that it
would have saved me pain had we never met."

This touched a tender spot. "Mr. Benton," I cried, "cease your foolish
talk, you know that I never tried to captivate you, that I take no
pleasure in an experience like this. You say that I am untrue to myself,
false to my highest