d away in a cosey arbor containing a seat for
two--AND NO MORE--and this millions of miles away, so far as he could
see, from the listening ear or watchful eye of mortal man or woman--and
with Ruth, too--the tips of whose fingers were so many little shrines
for devout kisses--that was like having been transported into Paradise.

"Oh, please let me look around a little," he begged at last. "And this
is why you love to come here?"

"Yes--wouldn't you?"

"I would not live anywhere else if I could--and it has just the air
of summer--and it feels like a summer's night, too--as if the moon was
coming up somewhere."

Ruth's delight equalled his own; she must show him the new tulips just
sprouting, taking down a lantern so that he could see the better; and he
must see how the jessamine was twisted in and out the criss-cross slats
of the trellis, so that the flowers bloomed both outside and in; and
the little gully in the flagging of the pavement through which ran the
overflow of the tiny pond--till the circuit of the garden was made and
they were again seated on the dangerous bench, with a cushion tucked
behind her beautiful shoulders.

They talked of the tunnel and when it would be finished; and of the
village people and whom they liked and whom they didn't--and why--and of
Corinne, whose upturned little nose and superior, dominating airs
Ruth thought were too funny for words; and of her recently announced
engagement to Garry Minott, who had started for himself in business and
already had a commission to build a church at Elm Crest--known to
all New Jersey as Corklesville until the real-estate agencies
took possession of its uplands--Jack being instrumental, with Mr.
MacFarlane's help, in securing him the order; and of the dinner to be
given next week at Mrs. Brent Foster's on Washington Square, to which
they were both invited, thanks to Miss Felicia for Ruth's invitation,
and thanks to Peter for that of Jack, who, at Peter's request, had
accompanied him one afternoon to one of Mrs. Foster's receptions, where
he had made so favorable an impression that he was at once added to Mrs.
Foster's list of eligible young men--the same being a scarce article.
They had discussed, I say, all these things and many more, in sentences,
the Scribe devoutly hopes, much shorter than the one he has just
written--when in a casual--oh, so casual a way--merely as a matter of
form--Ruth asked him if he really must go back to Corklesville in the