p behind a drapery counter, instead of having been
trained for teaching.

Mr. Selincourt brought his gaze from the river, jerking his head
round to get a good view of Katherine; then he asked, in a
surprised tone: "Hasn't Mary told you about him? I thought girls
always talked to each other about such things."

"What things?" asked Katherine.

"Why, sweethearts, and all that sort of stuff," he answered vaguely.

Katherine flushed, caught her breath in a little gasp, and,
clenching the hand which held the calico, said rather unsteadily:
"Mary and I have certainly not discussed sweethearts and that sort
of stuff, as you call it."

Mr. Selincourt laughed in great amusement, then said more gravely:
"Mary has been very much spoiled, and in all her life she has never
been denied anything save one, as I told you before, and I am
hoping very much that it will all come right for her yet, when she
has learned her lesson of patient waiting."

Katherine dropped her calico, and, nerving herself for a great
effort of endurance, said: "Won't you tell me what you mean? I
never could understand hints and vague suggestions about things."

"It is like this," began Mr. Selincourt, who was only too pleased
to get a listener as sympathetic as Katherine: "a year ago last
winter Mary fell in love with Archie Raymond, or else he fell in
love with her; anyhow they became engaged, although I demurred a
little, on account of his inability to support a wife. But I gave
way in time, for he was a thoroughly good fellow, and one of the
sort who was bound to rise when he got a chance. Mary was
exacting, however--I told you she had been spoiled--and Archie
wasn't the sort to be led about on a string like a lapdog; so
naturally they quarrelled."

"Poor Mary!" exclaimed Katherine softly.

"And poor Archie too, I guess," returned Mr. Selincourt. "It was
his misfortune that he cared so much for her. I believe she would
have treated him better if he had not been so much her slave; but
even slaves can't endure too much, so he revolted after a time.
Jervis Ferrars, who was Archie's friend, came to Mary and begged
that she would see Archie, if only for ten minutes, because there
was something to be said between them which could not be put into a
letter. But my girl is made of obstinate stuff that crops up in
awkward places sometimes; so she sent word by Jervis that if Archie
liked to send her a letter of apology she would read it, but she
woul