e. He was seldom gone longer than a day at a time.
Doctor Glenning had told her that he went away that very morning. Would
he return that night? She must know. She would sit up for the train from
Jericho. It did not come until eleven, or thereabouts, but she was not
sleepy, and she loved the calm, mysterious nights in summer. The time
sped swiftly. Some of the thoughts which came to her chilled her very
heart; some brought anxiety and worry, and some filled her virgin soul
with strange, elusive whisperings; premonitory warnings of something
wonderfully sweet. If she dwelt upon these most; if her mind's eye saw
beside her at times in the starlight a long shape, lean of limb and lean
of face, with eyes constantly filled with troubled shadows, but true and
unfaltering--who would say her nay? For the approach of love is a
beautiful mystery, fraught with emotions which frighten while they
charm, which awe while they inspire, and there is no more sacred or
precious time in a young girl's life than that when her soul quickens in
response to the summons of love.

So preoccupied was she that Julia barely heard the shriek of the express
from the north as it thundered into the station in Macon. But the sound
of the whistle recalled her to herself--made her remember why she was
sitting there. It was hard to give up dreams for reality. But she faced
the road and pressed her lips together, and waited. She heard the train
pull out and resume its journey southward; its rumble became fainter and
fainter and was lost in the distance. Then she fell to listening for
another sound which she dreaded, yet hoped to hear. She wanted him to
return that night. She wanted the fearful task over and done while her
courage was high. She was perfectly aware that nothing short of
desperation could have driven her to this determination. She felt it of
the utmost importance that he should return that night. But the minutes
passed, and he did not come. A vehicle went by, and later a horse at a
canter. Neither of these was Devil Marston. She did not need the aid of
light to tell her when he rode by. The air began to grow a little
chilly. She had come out without wrap of any kind, and all at once she
realized her imprudence. She arose with a slight shiver, and stood for a
moment with head inclined attentively. What was it? Hoofs? She held her
breath and waited. An indistinguishable sound was on the air. It was
lost; it came again faintly. Then suddenly it bu