e spoke.

'There is not the slightest need for you to hurry,' observed Max; 'it is
not so very late, and I will walk up with you to Gladwyn.'

'Indeed, I hope you will do nothing of the kind,' she said hurriedly.
'Miss Garston, will you please tell him that there is no need, no need
at all? indeed, I would much rather not.'

Miss Hamilton had lost all her repose of manner; she looked as nervous
and shy as any school-girl when Max announced his intention of escorting
her; and yet how could any gentleman have allowed her to go down those
dark roads alone?

Perhaps Max thought she was unreasonable, for there was a touch of satire
in his voice as he answered her:

'I certainly owe it to my conscience to see you safe home. What would
Hamilton say if I allowed you to go alone?--Ursula,' turning to me with
an odd look, 'it is a fine starlight night; suppose you put on your
hat,--a run will do you good,--and relieve Miss Hamilton's mind.'

'Yes, do come,' observed Miss Hamilton, in a relieved voice; but, as she
spoke, her lovely eyes seemed appealing to him, and begging him not to be
angry with her; but he frowned slightly, and turned aside and took up a
book. How was it those two contrived to misunderstand each other so
often? Max looked even more hurt than he had done at Gladwyn.

I was not surprised to find that when I left the room Miss Hamilton
followed me, but I was hardly prepared to hear her say in a troubled
voice,--

'Oh, how unfortunate I am! I would not have had this happen for worlds.
Etta will--oh, what am I saying?--I am afraid Mr. Cunliffe is offended
with me because I did not wish him to go home with me--but,' a little
proudly and resentfully, 'he is too old a friend to misunderstand me, so
he need not have said that.'

'I think Uncle Max is not well to-night,' I replied soothingly. 'I never
heard him speak in that tone before; he is always so careful not to hurt
people's feelings.'

'Yes, I know,' stifling a sigh; 'it is more my fault than his; he is
looking wretchedly ill; and--and I think he is a little offended with me
about other things; it is impossible to explain, and so he misjudges me.'

'Why do you not try to make things a little clearer?' I asked. 'Could you
not say a word to him as we walk home? Uncle Max is so good that I cannot
bear him to be vexed about anything, and I know he is disappointed that
you will not work in the school.'

'Yes, I know; but you do not understand,' she retur