. She fell into a chair; he sank to
his knees, and with his face in her hands he moaned, "Oh, Ruth! Oh,
Ruth! it's my fault after all! I should have gone away at the
beginning!"

Ruth and Arthur met face to face in the Winslow garden. "I was just
coming for you," he said, excitedly.

"For Isabel?"

"Yes, her mother is with her, and"--a sound of wheels--"here's Giles,
now, off for the doctor."

The servant passed. "Yes, I got here by the sunset express. I couldn't
stay away--with this impending."

"I didn't see you come."

"No, of course you didn't see me, for I didn't go to the station, and so
I didn't pass anywhere near your house. I got off at the tank and came
up the hill path."

"You must have got drenched; you _are_ drenched."

"Oh no! I got in before the rain began. Let myself in without seeing any
one, and found Isabel was over at her mother's. So I waited here."

"Didn't let her know you were home?" asked Ruth, with a penetrating
gaze.

"No, I haven't been off the place since I came, but I stepped out so
many times into the garden to see if she was coming that I'm soaking
wet."

They entered the lighted house, and he turned upon her a glance heavy
and wavering with falsehood. His tongue ran like a terrified horse.
"Oh--eh--before you go upstairs--Ruth--there's one thing I'm distressed
about. I've told Mrs. Morris, and she's promised to see that the doctor
understands it perfectly,--though I shall explain it to him myself the
moment he comes. And still I wish you'd see that he understands, will
you?"

"What is it?"

"Why, at last, as I was waiting for Isabel, and saw her coming, I went
to meet her. Unfortunately she took me for a stranger, turned to run,
and tripped and fell headlong! She somehow got her lantern between the
base of a tree and the crown of her head, smashed the lantern, and cut
and bruised her head pitifully!"

To hide her start of distress Ruth moved up the stair; but after a step
or two she turned. "Arthur, why say anything about it, if nothing is
asked?"

The husband stared at her and turned deadly pale.

"Th--that's tr--true!" he said, with an eager gesture. "I'll not mention
it. And--Ruth!"--she was leaving him--"you might s--say the same to Mrs.
Morris!"

She nodded, but would not trust her eyes to meet his. He was right; she
had divined his deed.

He went loiteringly into the library and gently closed the door. Then he
turned the light low, paced once up and down