ow. What's the use to wait and lose these days out of
our life? What's the sense of it? Don't you know me by this time? Don't
you trust me by this time?"

She slipped her hand gently into his.

"I trust you utterly. And I feel that I've known you since the day I was
born----"

"Then why--why wait a minute?"

"You can't understand a girl's feelings, dear--only a little while and
it's all right."

He sat down on the couch in silence, rose and walked to the window. She
watched him struggling with deep emotion.

He turned suddenly.

"Look here, Kiddo, I've got to leave on that trip to the mountains of
North Carolina. I've got to get down there before Christmas. I must be
back here by the first of the year. Gee--I can't go without you! You
don't want to stay here without me, do you?"

A sudden pallor overspread her face. For the first time she realized how
their lives had become one in the sweet intimacy of the past ten days.

"You must go now?" she gasped.

"Yes. I've made my arrangements. I've business back here the first
of the year that can't wait. Marry me and go with me. We'll take our
honeymoon down there. By George, we'll go together in the car! Every day
by each other's side over hundreds and hundreds of miles! Say, ain't you
game? Come on! It's a crime to send me away without you. How can you do
it?"

"I can't--I'm afraid," she faltered.

"You'll marry me, then?"

"Yes!" she whispered. "What is the latest day you can start?"

"Next Saturday, if we go in the car----"

"All right,"--she was looking straight into the depths of his soul
now--"next Saturday."

He clasped her in his arms and held her with desperate tenderness.

CHAPTER IX. ELLA'S SECRET

The consummation of her life's dream was too near, too sweet and
wonderful for Jane's croakings to distress Mary Adams beyond the moment.
She had, of course, wished her friend to be present at the wedding--yet
the curt refusal had only aroused anew her pity at stupid prejudices.
It was out of the question to ask her father to leave his work in the
Kentucky mountains and come all the way to New York. She would surprise
him with the announcement. After all, she was the one human being
vitally concerned in this affair, and the only one save the man whose
life would be joined to hers.

In five minutes after the painful scene with Jane she had completely
regained her composure, and her face was radiant with happiness when
she waved to Jim. He w