mystery,
and Clementina was very young. "I did it," said Gregory solemnly, and
he felt that now he was acting from no impulse, but from a wisely
considered decision which he might not fail in without culpability,
"because I love you."

"Oh!" said Clementina, and she started away from him.

"I knew that it would make me detestable!" he cried, bitterly. "I had
to tell you, to explain what I did. I couldn't help doing it. But now if
you can forget it, and never think of me again, I can go away, and try
to atone for it somehow. I shall be guided."

Clementina did not know why she ought to feel affronted or injured by
what he had said to her; but if Mr. Gregory thought it was wrong for him
to have spoken so, it must be wrong. She did not wish him to feel badly,
even if he had done wrong, but she had to take his view of what he had
done. "Why, suttainly, Mr. Gregory," she answered. "You mustn't mind
it."

"But I do mind it. I have been very, very selfish, very thoughtless. We
are both too young. I can't ask you to wait for me till I could marry--"

The word really frightened Clementina. She said, "I don't believe I
betta promise."

"Oh, I know it!" said Gregory. "I am going away from here. I am
going to-morrow as soon as I can arrange--as soon as I can get away.
Good-night--I"--Clementina in her agitation put her hands up to her
face. "Oh, don't cry--I can't bear to have you cry."

She took down her hands. "I'm not crying! But I wish I had neva seen
those slippas."

They had come to the bank of the river, whose current quivered at that
point in a scaly ripple in the moonlight. At her words Gregory suddenly
pulled the box from under his arm, and flung it into the stream as
far as he could. It caught upon a shallow of the ripple, hung there a
moment, then loosed itself, and swam swiftly down the stream.

"Oh!" Clementina moaned.

"Do you want them back?" he demanded. "I will go in for them!"

"No, no! No. But it seemed such a--waste!"

"Yes, that is a sin, too." They climbed silently to the hotel. At Mrs.
Atwell's door, he spoke. "Try to forget what I said, and forgive me, if
you can."

"Yes--yes, I will, Mr. Gregory. You mustn't think of it any moa."

XII.

Clementina did not sleep till well toward morning, and she was still
sleeping when Mrs. Atwell knocked and called in to her that her brother
Jim wanted to see her. She hurried down, and in the confusion of mind
left over from the night before she c