favor refer to Dorothy."

Richard colored.

"What is the question?" said he, his voice turning deep and soft.

"Do you love her?" This staggered Richard. Bess came to his aid. "I know
you do," said she; "I'll answer the query for you. The real question I
wanted to ask is, Have you told her? And that I'll answer: You have
not."

"What does this lead to?" broke in Richard. A half-score of daunting
surmises had come up to shake him.

"Don't you think you might better tell her?" continued Bess, not heeding
the question.

"She knows," returned Richard, drawing a breath. "Dorothy knows. I've
seen the knowledge in her eyes. And she loves me!"

"I've no doubt you've seen marvelous things in one another's eyes,"
retorted Bess in a matter-of-fact way; "but I say again: Wouldn't it be
wise to tell her?"

"Frankly, yes," replied Richard, driven desperate. "I have been on the
threshold of it, but somehow I couldn't lay hands on just the words.
Dorothy knows I love her!" he repeated as though to himself. "It would
be only a formality."

"There is the very point," observed Bess. "It is the formality that has
become important. Do you think I would break in upon your dreams, else?
A formality is a fence. If you owned a bed of flowers, would you build a
fence about it? Then fence in your Dorothy with a formal offer of your
love."

"I shall not rest until I've done so!" cried Richard, catching fire.

"And then you will have done the wise and safe and just and loving
thing! Who taught you to ignore formalities? They are one's evidence of
title. Build your fence. It will be like saying to Storri: So far shalt
thou come and no farther."

Bess looked curiously at Richard. She had mentioned Storri in a mood of
mischief, as one spurs a gamesome horse to stir its mettle. Richard's
brow was a thundercloud.

"Why do you name Storri with Dorothy?--a serpent and a dove!" he said,
in tones very slow and full.

"Dorothy will tell you," replied Bess. "She will turn marvelously
loquacious, once she finds herself behind her fence."

"How shall I go to her?" exclaimed Richard. "My heart will be sick until
I've told her."

"You will not have long to wait," said Bess laughingly. "She should have
been here ten minutes ago. I can't see what detains her."

Richard looked bewildered and a little shocked. "Surely," he began,
"Dorothy didn't----"

"No, no; you are not the victim of a plot, Sir Suspicious One!" cried
Bess. "It is a wonde