moment do I suppose
that you--"

"If for one moment," said she, "I had imagined you would suppose--"

"But I assure you, Miss Raleigh, I never did suppose that you would
imagine I would think--but if you do suppose I thought you imagined I
could possibly conceive--"

"But I really did think," said Miss Raleigh, speaking more gently. "But
if I was wrong--"

"Nay, think no more about it," Locker interrupted, "and let us be
friends again."

He offered her his hand, which she shook warmly, and then departed.

It had been arranged that Lancaster was not to leave Broadstone on the
next day. He had expected to do so, but Mr. Easterfield had planned for
a day's fishing for himself, Mr. Fox, and the professor, and he would
not let the latter off. The ladies had accepted an invitation to
luncheon that day; the next day some new visitors were expected; and in
order not to interfere with Mr. Easterfield's plans, evidently intended
to restore to Broadstone some of the social harmony which had recently
been so disturbed, Dick consented to stay, although he really wanted to
go. He could not forget that his vacation was passing.

"Very well, then," Mrs. Easterfield remarked to him that Sunday evening,
"if you must go on Tuesday, I suppose you must, although I think it
would be better for you if I were to keep my eye on you for a little
while longer."

"Perhaps so," said Lancaster, "but the time has come when curb-bits,
cages, and good advice are not for me. I must burst loose from
everything and go my way, right or wrong, whatever it may be."

"I see that," said she; "but if it had not been for the curbed bit and
all that, you would be leaving this place a discarded lover, like the
rest of them. They depart with their love-affairs finished forever,
ended; you go as free to woo, to win, or to lose as you ever were. And
you owe this entirely to me, so whatever else you do, don't sneer at my
curbs and my cages; to them you owe your liberty."

The professor fully appreciated everything she had done for him, and
told her so earnestly and warmly. But she interrupted his grateful
expressions.

"It would have been very hard on me," she said, "if Olive had asked me
to carry to you the news of your rejection. That is what I did for the
others, I suppose you know."

"Oh, yes," said Lancaster; "Locker told me."

"I might have supposed that," said she. "And now I feel bound to tell
you also, although it is not a message, that Olive