is pocket, he struck a match on the
door-step, lighted the cigar, and then turned toward the stables at one
side of the house. Here among the horses and vehicles he stood
reflecting gloomily, rebelliously. Across the lighted lawn he saw Joel
and Tilly still on the bench. How close they seemed to sit, one against
the other! The hot weight of rage again bore down on John's brain. He
forgot to smoke. His cigar died in his inert fingers. Again he wanted to
throttle his meek and placid rival. The man's sheer gentleness enraged
him, for it was a quality he himself did not possess, and till now had
denied. In the half-darkness he saw two young men come to a buggy not
far from him, take from under the seat a flask, and heard them joking as
they drank.

"I knew you had your arm around her, you sly dog!" one said, "and I held
my horse in to give you a chance."

"She is a little beauty, eh?" another voice said with a laugh. "She
nestled up against me like a sick kitten to a hot brick."

The flask was emptied. It whistled as it was hurled against the barn,
and the two men went back to the house. What could Tilly and Joel be
saying? She had said to John that he and she should not be seen too long
together, and yet for the second time that evening she and Eperson had
sequestered themselves like that. John told himself that he had been a
fool to hope as he had done, and his rage and despair joined forces
within him.

Presently he noticed that some of the young men were coming for their
buggies and driving them up to the veranda. Then he saw some couples
getting in and driving away. Still Joel and Tilly sat on the rustic
bench. Still John lurked and watched in the darkness.

"Oh, brother, we must go now!" It was Martha Jane calling from the
steps. "I don't want to hurry you, but we really must be going."

"Yes, yes, dear-- I'm coming!" and Joel and Tilly rose and arm in arm
slowly went to the house. A moment later Joel was coming for his buggy,
and John, fearing to be seen alone in the dark, quickly advanced by
another way to the veranda without meeting his rival.

He found Tilly ready to go and looking for him. "I wondered where you
were," she said, softly. "We must be on the way."

He went on the veranda for his hat, leaving her at the foot of the
steps. He joined her, the dead cigar in his mouth. He held out his arm.
She took it, started on, then paused suddenly.

"Have you said good night to the Teasdales?" she asked.