ally gasped. Ruth drew a long breath. "I knew
it," she said.

"But--but, for mercy sakes, HOW did you know? Did he--?"

"No, he didn't see me at all. I was watching him from the window.
But I saw his face and--" with a sudden gesture of desperation,
"Oh, it wasn't that at all, Jed. It was my guilty conscience, I
guess. I've been expecting him to speak to you--or me--have been
dreading it every day--and now somehow I knew he had spoken. I
KNEW it. What did he say, Jed?"

Jed told the substance of what Captain Sam had said. She listened.
When he finished her eyes were wet.

"Oh, it is dreadful," she moaned. "I--I was so hoping she might
not care for Charlie. But she does--of course she does. She
couldn't help it," with a sudden odd little flash of loyalty.

Jed rubbed his chin in desperation.

"And--and Charlie?" he asked, anxiously. "Does he--"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure he does. He has never told me so, never in so
many words, but I can see. I know him better than any one else in
the world and I can see. I saw first, I think, on Thanksgiving
Day; at least that is when I first began to suspect--to fear."

Jed nodded. "When they was at the piano together that time and Sam
said somethin' about their bein' a fine-lookin' couple?" he said.

"Why, yes, that was it. Are you a mind reader, Jed?"

"No-o, I guess not. But I saw you lookin' kind of surprised and--
er--well, scared for a minute. I was feelin' the same way just
then, so it didn't need any mind reader to guess what had scared
you."

"I see. But, oh, Jed, it is dreadful! What SHALL we do? What
will become of us all? And now, when I--I had just begun to be
happy, really happy."

She caught her breath in a sob. Jed instinctively stretched out
his hand.

"But there," she went on, hurriedly wiping her eyes, "I mustn't do
this. This is no time for me to think of myself. Jed, this
mustn't go any further. He must not ask her to marry him; he must
not think of such a thing."

Jed sadly shook his head. "I'm afraid you're right," he said.
"Not as things are now he surely mustn't. But--but, Mrs. Ruth--"

"Oh, don't!" impatiently. "Don't use that silly 'Mrs.' any longer.
Aren't you the--the best friend I have in the world? Do call me
Ruth."

If she had been looking at his face just then she might have seen--
things. But she was not looking. There was an interval of silence
before he spoke.

"Well, then--er--Ruth--" he faltered.