mournful triumph. "It never
deceives me, never! As I passed our dear girl's room this morning, I
said, 'She is not there'--and she wasn't!"

"I think you mentioned that the door was open."

"That has nothing to do with it. I--"

"Where did you find this note?"

"On her dressing table. When you went into the gar-den, I went
upstairs. I had a feeling--"

"Was there nothing else? No note for me?"

"No," in surprise. "She says you know all about it. Don't you?"

"Something, not all."

Aunt Caroline was, upon occasion, quite capable of meeting a crisis.
Remembering the neglected coffee, she poured a cup for each of them.

"Here," said she, "drink this. You look as if you needed it. I must
say, Benis, that you don't act as if you knew anything, but if you do,
you'd better tell me. Where is Desire?"

"I don't know."

"Umph! Then what you do know won't help us to find her. Finding her is
the first thing. I wonder," thoughtfully, "if she told John?"

A wintry smile passed over the professor's lips.

"I shall ask him," he said.

Aunt Caroline proceeded with her own deducing. "There is no one else
she could have told," she reasoned. "She did not tell you. She did not
tell me. Naturally, she would not tell Mary. And a girl nearly always
tells somebody. So it must be John. I hope you are sufficiently ashamed
of yourself, Benis? I told you Desire wouldn't understand your
attentions to Mary. Though I admit I did not dream she would take them
quite so seriously. I don't envy you your explanations."

"Aunt--"

"Wait a moment, Benis. On second thought, if I were you I would not
explain at all. Simply tell her she is mistaken and stick to that. She
may believe you. Promise her that you will never see Mary again--and
you won't" (grimly) "if I have anything to say about it. Desire will
come around. I have a feeling--"

"My dear Aunt!"

"Let me proceed, Benis. I have a feeling that she will forgive
you--once. But let this be a lesson. Desire is not a girl who will
forgive twice."

"You are all wrong, Aunt," with weary patience. "But it doesn't matter.
Say nothing about this. I am going to see John."

"Not before you drink that coffee."

Benis obediently drank. Hurry would not mend what had happened.

"She has taken her travelling coat and hat," pursued Aunt Caroline.
"Her train slippers, that taupe jersey-cloth suit, some fresh blouses,
her dressing case, her night things and your photo off the dressing
table."