been a patient."

"There was somebody about the house," repeated Emma. "Well, I must go
and mix up the bread."

When she was gone, Clemency looked palely at James. "Oh," she said, "do
you think it could have been that man?"

"No," replied James firmly; "it must have been your gesture. That is a
very intelligent dog, and dogs have imagination. He imagined something
wrong."

"I hope it was that," said Clemency faintly. "It seems to me I should
die if I thought that terrible man were hanging about the house. It is
bad enough never to be able to go out of doors."

"Doctor Gordon says I may take you out driving some evening," said James
consolingly.

Clemency looked at him with a brightening face. "Did he?"

"Yes."

Then to James's utter surprise Clemency broke down, and began to cry.
"Oh," she wailed, "I don't know as I want to go. I am afraid all the
time. If we were out driving, and he came up to the horse's head, what
could we do?"

"He would get a cut across the face that he would remember," James
returned fiercely.

"But he would see me."

"It would be dark."

"He might have a lantern."

"You can wear a thick veil."

Clemency sobbed harder than ever. "Oh, no," she wailed, "I don't want to
go so, in the dark, with a thick veil over my face, thinking every
minute he may come. Oh, no, I don't want to go."

"You poor little soul," said James, and there was something in his voice
which he himself had never heard before. Clemency glanced up at him
quickly, and he saw as plainly as if he had been looking in a glass
himself in her blue eyes. Instantly emotions of which he had dreamed,
but never experienced, leaped up in his heart like flame. He knew that
he loved Clemency. What he had felt for her mother had been passionless
worship, giving all, and asking nothing. This was love which asked as
well as gave. "Clemency," he began, and his voice was hoarse with
emotion. She turned her head away, the tears were still on her cheeks,
but they were very red, and her cheeks were dimpling involuntarily.

"Well?" she whispered.

"Do you care anything about--me?"

Clemency nodded, still keeping her face averted.

"That means--"

Clemency said nothing.

"That means you love me," James whispered.

Clemency nodded again. Then she turned her head slowly, and gave him a
narrow blue glance, and smiled like a shy child.

"I was afraid--" she began.

"Afraid of what, dear?" James put his arm about the girl, and