er of honor.

With these thoughts crowding out every other, and with the impetus of
the resolve hot upon him, he opened his portfolio and wrote a note,
informing the committee in charge of the Rochambeau picture of his
sudden departure for America and the consequent impossibility of
executing the commission with which they had honored him.

Three days later, with a new joy surging through his veins, he set
sail for home.

IV

Again Adam drew rein and looked over the brown hills of Maryland. No
wealth of bursting blossoms greeted him; the trees were bare of
leaves, their naked branches shivering in the keen November wind; in
the dips of the uneven roads the water lay in pools; above hung a
dull, gray sky telling of the coming cold; long lines of crows were
flying southward, while here and there a deserted cabin showed the
havoc the years of war had wrought--a havoc which had spared neither
friend nor foe.

None of these things disturbed Adam nor checked the flow of his
spirits. The cold would not reach his heart; there was a welcome
ahead--of eye and hand and heart. No word of him had reached her ears.
If she had forgiven him, thought of him at all, it was as across the
sea in some unknown land. Doubtless she still believed he had
forgotten her and their early days. This would make the surprise he
held in store for her all the more joyous.

As he neared the brow of the hill he began to con over in his mind the
exact words he would use when he was ushered into her presence. He
would pretend at first to be a wayfarer and ask for a night's lodging,
or, perhaps, it might be best to inquire for young Phil, who must now
be a great strapping lad. Then he began thinking out other surprises.
Of course she would know him--know him before he opened his lips. How
foolish, then, the pretence of deceiving her. What was really more
important was the way in which he would enter the house; some care
must therefore be exercised. If he should approach by the rear and
meet either Dinah or old Bundy, who must still be alive, of course
they would recognize him at once before he could caution them, the
back door being near the old kitchen. The best way would be to signal
Bundy and call to him before the old man could fully identify him. He
could then open the door softly and step in front of her.

Perhaps another good way would be to leave his horse in the stable,
and wait until it grew quite dark--the twilight was already
ga