he inability of the council to better the roads awoke and
cried again.

Two days following Dawn's rescue from the accident, Ernest called upon
me, and occupying one of the stiff chairs before the fireplace under
the Gorgonean representations of Jim Clay, looked hopelessly
self-conscious and inclined to blush like a schoolboy every time the
door opened, but Dawn did not make her appearance. I knew he had come
hoping that in averting the accident he had been able to illustrate
his friendliness towards her, and that she would now meet him as of
old, so that the little incident of the wash-up water could be
explained and buried. At last, taking pity on the very natural young
hope that was being deferred, I excused myself and went in quest of
Dawn, and found her in her room sewing with ostentatious industry.

"Dawn, won't you come down and speak to Ernest, he has called to see
how you are after your adventure," I said with perfect truth, though
as a matter of fact he had studiously refrained from mentioning her.

"Oh, please don't ask me to go down," she implored excitedly; "you
seem to have forgotten!"

"Forgotten what?"

"That dish of water," she faltered with changing colour, "and then he
saved me so cleverly from being trampled on! If he had ridden over me
I wouldn't have cared, as it would have made things square; but as it
is, can't you understand that I'd rather _die_ than see him?" said she
in the exaggerated language of the day, and burying her face in her
hands.

"I can better understand that you are _dying_ to see him," I returned,
pulling her head on to my shoulder; "but never mind, you'll see him
some other day, and it will all come straight in time."

I forbore to press her farther, but that Ernest might not be too
discouraged I gave him some splendid oranges Andrew had picked for me,
and said--

"Miss Dawn kept these for you, but as she is not visible this
afternoon I am going to make the presentation."

His face perceptibly brightened, and also noticeable was the brisk way
he terminated his call upon learning that there was no prospect of
seeing Dawn that day. I watched him bounding along the path to the
bridge carrying the oranges in his handkerchief, and watched also by
another pair of eyes from an upstairs window.

Carry left us during that week, and as she had now fixed her
wedding-day the tax of wedding presents had to be met. Grandma, in
bidding her good-bye, presented her with a generous c