llie Booth! He had been blind,
besottedly blind. And now he had lost her! She would never forgive
him; she had gone without a word or sign.

As he reached the last curve of the lane where it looped about the
apple trees, a plump figure came flying down the orchard slope.

"Mr. Murray, Mr. Murray," Mollie Booth called breathlessly. "Will you
please come here just a minute?"

Murray crossed over to the paling rather grumpily. He did not want to
talk with Mollie Booth just then. Confound it, what did the girl want?
Why was she looking so mysterious?

Mollie produced a little square grey envelope from some feminine
hiding place and handed it over the paling.

"She give me this at the station--Miss Mannering did," she gasped,
"and asked me to give it to you without letting Aunt Emily Jane see. I
couldn't get a chanst when you was in, but as soon as you went I
slipped out by the porch door and followed you. You went so fast I
near died trying to head you off."

"You dear little soul," said Murray, suddenly radiant. "It is too bad
you have had to put yourself so out of breath on my account. But I am
immensely obliged to you. The next time your young man wants a trusty
private messenger just refer him to me."

"Git away with you," giggled Mollie. "I must hurry back 'fore Aunt
Emily Jane gits wind I'm gone. I hope there's good news in your girl's
letter. My, but didn't you look flat when Aunt said she'd went!"

Murray beamed at her idiotically. When she had vanished among the
trees he opened his letter.

"Dear Mr. Murray," it ran, "your unblushing audacity of the
morning deserves some punishment. I hereby punish you by
prompt departure from Orchard Knob. Yet I do not dislike
audacity, at some times, in some places, in some people. It is
only from a sense of duty that I punish it in this case. And
it was really pleasant in Eden. If you do not mail that
letter, and if you still persist in your very absurd
interpretation of the meaning of Eve's kiss, we may meet again
in town. Until then I remain,

"Very sincerely yours,
"Dora Lynne Mannering."

Murray kissed the grey letter and put it tenderly away in his pocket.
Then he took his letter to his uncle and tore it into tiny fragments.
Finally he looked at his watch.

"If I hurry, I can catch the afternoon train to town," he said.

Aunt Susanna's Birthday