t for my wedding I heard that my bride could not be
found! If I had not adored you passionately would I have been on the
verge of madness, saying and doing things without reason and excuse? I
am ordered to leave you, my sweetheart, and if you do not bid me stay I
can only obey the mandate. But I love you more at this moment than ever.
All I ask to know is why you made this flight. If your answer is
satisfactory there will be nothing on my part to prevent our marriage."

Archie Weil wished that he could have led this young man aside for just
a moment, to show him that this was no time to make demands or exact
conditions. He had no doubt that Daisy would explain everything, a
little later. All that was wanted now was a revocation of the dismissal
that Mr. Fern had pronounced. But he could not control the stormy ocean
upon which they rode.

"You seem singularly obtuse," came the shaking voice of the old
gentleman. "It is not for _you_ to dictate terms. We want to see you no
more. Is not that clear enough?"

It certainly did not seem to be. Roseleaf lingered, wondering if these
were really to be the last phrases he would hear in that house--in that
very room where he had expected to hear the words that would make this
sweet girl his for life.

"Daisy," he said, addressing himself once more to the silent figure, "I
cannot believe you have so soon learned to hate me!"

She looked up at the solemn face and then dropped her eyes again.

"You will tell me where you were?" he pleaded. "It is my right to
know."

She looked up again, with a wild horror in her features.

"Oh, I _cannot_!" she cried. "I _never_ can tell you. I never _can_!"

This statement shocked more than one person in that room. Up to this
moment Mr. Fern had only understood, from the disjointed expressions of
his daughter when she entered the house, that she did not wish to be
questioned at that time. She had also explained to him that she had sent
the telegram to make the coast clear of all except her parent, as she
did not wish to meet others on her first arrival. When he had urged the
duty of informing Mr. Weil she had acquiesced, not dreaming that Mr.
Roseleaf would be in his company.

And now the old man felt that there was more in the answer she had given
than he had suspected--something very like a confession of wrong. Mr.
Weil felt this also, though he could not believe Daisy meant anything
very heinous, and Shirley Roseleaf had a dagger in his