ouble of living a very long life.
"Everything," as Rita had asked, was told volubly, until Dic, perhaps by
accident, clasped Rita's hand. His failure to do so earlier in the
afternoon had been an oversight; but after the oversight had been
corrected, comparative silence and watching the fire from the ciphering
log proved a sufficiently pleasant pastime, and amply good enough for
them. Good enough! I hope they have fireplaces and ciphering logs, soft,
magnetic hands, and eloquent silence in paradise, else the place will
surely be a failure.

Snow was falling furiously, and dark winter clouds obscured the sinking
sun, bringing night before its time; and so it happened that Rita did
not see her mother pass the window. The room was dark, save in the
fireplace where Rita and Dic were sitting, illumined by the glow of
hickory embers, and occasionally by a flickering flame that spluttered
from the half-burned back-log. Unexpected and undesired, Mrs. Bays,
followed closely by our friend Williams, entered through the front door.
Dic sprang to his feet, but he was too slow by several seconds, and the
newcomers had ample opportunity to observe his strict attention to the
business in hand. Mrs. Bays bowed stiffly to Dic, and walked to the bed,
where she deposited her wraps.

Williams approached Rita, who was still seated in the fireplace. She
rose and accepted his proffered hand, forgetting in her confusion to
introduce Dic. Roger's self-composure came to his relief.

"This must be Mr. Bright," said he, holding out his hand to Dic. "I have
heard a great deal of you from Miss Bays during the last four months. We
heard in town that you had returned. Since Rita will not introduce me, I
will perform that duty for myself. I am Mr. Williams."

"How do you do," said Dic, as he took Roger's hand.

"I am delighted to meet you," said Williams, which, as we know, was a
polite fiction. Dic had no especial occasion to dispute Williams's
statement, but for some undefined reason he doubted its truth. He did
not, however, doubt his own feelings, but knew that he was not glad to
meet Williams. The words, "I have heard a great deal of you from Miss
Bays during the last four months," had so startled him that he could
think of nothing else. After the narrative of his own adventures, he
had, in imitation of Rita, asked _her_ to tell _him_ "everything"; but
the name of Williams, her four-months' friend, had not been mentioned.
Dic could not know th