fall. Milford hastened onward. In the woods, far across a willow
flat, the wind blew hard, and the rain lashed the leaves. He turned
aside into the haunted house. All the doors were open. He went to the
back door and stood looking out at the coming of the rain. A noise
quickened his blood, and looking about he saw a vision of white in the
front door.

"Who is that?"

A slight cry, a swaying of the vision, a voice replying: "Oh, I did not
know there was any one in here. I have stopped in out of the rain."

And now his blood jumped. "Is that you, Miss Strand?"

"Oh, yes, but I do not know you. Oh, is it Mr. Milford? How strange! But
you do not live here?"

"No, I've simply dodged in out of the wet. It's pouring down."

"Yes, the clouds were a long time here, but the rain was quick. I went
far over after a laundress. Mrs. Stuvic would have sent me in the buggy,
but I wanted to walk; and now I shall be made sorry."

"I hope not. Let me see if I can't make it more comfortable for you."

He struck a match, and looked about. The room was bare. In places the
floor was broken. She said, with a laugh, that she would not mind it so
much but for the dark.

"I hope you have many matches," she said.

"I haven't, but I can remedy it. Here is an old smudge pan. I'll build a
fire in it."

He broke up a piece of board, split fine pieces with his knife, tore up
a letter, and made a fire in the pan. In a shed-room he found a bench,
dusted it, and brought it in for her. She sat down, and he stood looking
at the play of the shadows and the light on her hair. The spirit of the
cider was gone. He wondered why he had run down the road, laughing. He
got down on his knees to feed the fire. It was a trick; it was stealing
an attitude to pay a homage.

"Mrs. Goodwin will be very much worried," she said. "I wish that I did
not come. It was so much further than they said. I left when the sun was
down. Now it is late, and I walked all the time."

"I will run over there and bring the buggy for you."

"Oh, no, no. The rain pours too much. When it is done I will go with
you. The road is hard. There will be not much mud. We found many flowers
in the woods to-day."

"I saw you with an armful."

"Did you see me wave at you when you stand on the high place in the
oats?"

"I did, but I was almost afraid to believe it."

"Almost afraid? Why, what harm? There is no harm to wave a flower. Now
it rains easier. It will soon quit."

Never