ng."

"I might get a hot-water bottle, or some chopped ice,
or--or--something," he faltered, not knowing how to go on.

"Oh, Dave, don't be silly!"

"Silly! So now I'm the one who's silly; am I?" he returned. But there
was more of slyness than bitterness in his tone.

"Dave Porter! Was there ever such a boy! Now you must go away and leave
me alone!"

"All right, Jessie, if you want me to go away I'll go. Just the same, I
want you to know that I'm awfully, _awfully_ sorry that you have a
headache. I'd rather have it myself."

"Would you indeed?" There was a creaking of the couch, as if Jessie had
turned and was sitting up. "Well, I don't want you to have a headache.
They are not a bit nice! They are horrid!"

"Are you lying down?"

"I was lying down."

"Well, if you're not so very, very sick, Jessie, won't you just come to
the door a minute? I want to tell you something," went on Dave, after a
moment's hesitation.

The girl came slowly to the door, and opened it several inches, showing
a mass of disheveled hair, and cheeks that had traces of tears on them.

"What do you want to tell me?"

"A good many things, Jessie," returned Dave, in a low tone. "First of
all, I don't want you to be angry with me. I simply can't bear it. And
besides, I don't think you have anything to be angry about."

"Oh, indeed!"

"No, I don't. I think you misunderstand me. Why, Jessie, I wouldn't
have anything come between us for the world, and you know it!"

"Do I?" The door opened a little wider.

"Yes, you do. You know there isn't any one that I care for one-tenth
part as much as I care for you. I didn't go up the lake this afternoon
because I particularly wanted to; and those people came here of their
own accord."

"Yes, Dave----"

"And I don't want you to act so cold, Jessie. Why, it cuts a fellow to
the heart! If I thought----"

A wild yell, followed by several screams of terror from outside,
interrupted the conversation. Dave stopped short to listen, and Jessie
threw wide-open the door to do likewise. Another yell rang out, fierce
and penetrating, and then came several more screams, and a rush of
footsteps.

"Oh, Dave! what can it mean?" cried Jessie, in sudden alarm.

"I don't know. I guess I had better find out," he returned, and ran
toward the front doorway.

"Be careful, Dave! be careful!" cautioned the girl, pleadingly. "Maybe
it's a bear!"

"In that case I'd better get one of the guns," he returned.

T