come back, some day."

A scarlet leaf from a maple danced along the beach, blown from some
distant bough where the frost had set a flaming signal in the still
September night. A yellow leaf from an elm swiftly caught it, and
together they floated out to sea.

[Sidenote: When?]

"Sweetheart," said Allan, "do you see? The leaves are beginning to fall
and in a little while the trees will be bare. How long are you going to
keep me waiting for wife and home?"

"I--don't--know."

"Dear, can't you trust me?"

"Yes, always," she answered, quickly. "You know that."

"Then when?"

"When all the colour is gone," she said, after a pause. "When the forest
is desolate and the wind sighs through bare branches--when Winter chills
our hearts--then I will come to you, and for a little while bring back
the Spring."

"Truly, Sweetheart?"

"Truly."

"You'll never be sorry, dear." He took her into his arms and sealed her
promise upon her lips.

XVIII

The Passing of Fido

[Sidenote: Alone in the Office]

Fido had been in the office alone for almost three hours. The old man,
who he knew was his master, and the young man, who was inclined to be
impatient with him when he felt playful, had both gone out. The door was
locked and there was nobody on the other side of it to answer a vigorous
scratch or even a pleading whine. When people knocked, they went away
again, almost immediately.

The window-sills were too high for a little dog to reach, and there was
no chair near. He walked restlessly around the office, stopping at
intervals to sit down and thoughtfully contemplate his feet, which were
much too large for the rest of him. He chased a fly that tickled his
ear, but it eluded him, and now buzzed temptingly on a window-pane, out
of his reach.

It seemed that something serious must have happened, for Fido had never
been left alone so long before. If he had known that the old man was
conversing pleasantly with some fellow-citizens at the grocery store,
and that the young one had his arm around a laughing girl in white,
trying to teach her to walk, he would have been very indignant indeed.

Several times, lately, Fido had noticed, the young man had gone out
shortly after the old one went to the post-office. It would be, usually,
half a day later when his master returned with a letter or two, or often
with none. The young man took pains to get back before the old one did,
which was well, for there should always b