h as touch the hem of her garment!"

"My boy," said Mr. Underwood, rather brusquely, extending one hand and
laying the other on Darrell's shoulder, "I understand, and you're all
right. We all consider you one of ourselves, and," he added, somewhat
awkwardly, "you understand, if conditions were not just as they are----"

"But conditions are just as they are," Darrell interposed, quickly, "so
there is no use discussing what might be were they different."

The bitterness in his tones struck a chord of sympathy within the heart
of the man beside him, but he knew not how to express it, and it is
doubtful whether he would have voiced it had he known how. The two
clasped hands silently; then, without a word, the elder man left the
room.

Not until now had Darrell realized how strong had been the hope within
his breast that some crisis in his condition might yet reveal enough to
make possible the fulfilment of his love. The pleasant relations between
himself and Kate in many respects still remained practically unchanged.
True, his sense of honor forbade any return to the tender familiarities
of the past, but there yet existed between them a tacit, unspoken
comradeship, beneath which flowed, deeply and silently, the undercurrent
of love, not to be easily diverted or turned aside. But this he now felt
would soon be changed, while all hope for the future must be abandoned.

With a heavy heart Darrell awaited developments. He soon noted a marked
increase in the frequency of Walcott's calls at The Pines, and, not
caring to embarrass Kate by his presence, he absented himself from the
house as often as possible on those occasions.

Walcott himself must have been very soon aware that in his courtship Mr.
Underwood was his sole partisan, but he bore himself with a confidence
and assurance which would brook no thought of defeat. Mrs. Dean, knowing
her brother as she did, was quick to understand the situation, and
silently showed her disapproval; but Walcott politely ignored her
disfavor as not worth his consideration.

At first, Kate, considering him her father's guest, received him with
the same frank, winning courtesy which she extended to others, and he,
quick to make the most of every opportunity, exerted himself to the
utmost in his efforts to entertain his young hostess and her friends. To
a certain extent he succeeded, in that Kate was compelled to admit to
herself that he could be far more agreeable than she had ever suppos