raig, rose and went to the figure in the
big chair opposite. She sat down on the arm and, bending, dropped her
face upon the fatherly shoulder, hiding it there. Craig sat perfectly
still, watching the pair, as Father Davy put up a thin, white hand and
patted the dark head. Then the two men smiled at each other.

After a while Craig got up and quietly left the room.

By and by Father Davy whispered: "What is it, dear? You're not ready?
You shall not be hurried. Or is it----"

She spoke into his ear. "I want to go back home--and earn--and
earn--enough to----"

"Can you earn it, daughter? Can you ever get enough ahead to provide
what you would like? And meanwhile--he wants you very much, my dear. I
think I know more of his heart than you do, in way. Last winter we had
certain talks that showed me a little of that. Would it be such a blow
to pride to do as he asks? Unless--in other ways you are not ready. If
your love for him isn't quite mature enough yet----"

"Oh, it isn't that; it's mature enough. It--it hasn't grown, in spite of
me, all this year like--a--tumbleweed"--her voice was a little
breathless--"not to have got its growth----"

"Its first growth," amended her father, with a meaning smile.

She nodded. "But--if you could know how I want--time to make the most
of--what mother left me. I could do so much if I just had time. If I
used it now I should have to use it up so fast! There'll be fifty
dollars left when we get back. I could almost make that do, if--no, of
course I couldn't. But I could earn more. O Father Davy, is it wrong of
me to be so proud?"

"Not wrong, my girl, but very natural, I suppose. Yet to me--well, dear,
I hardly know how to say what I feel. I confess I should like to see you
married to this man. Life is--so short----"

They sat together in silence for a time; then Georgiana slipped back
into the seat where she had been.

Presently Father Davy said that it had been a full day, and that he
thought he should be fitter for the morrow if he should go to bed.
Georgiana went up with him, saw him comfortably resting, listened while
he whispered something in her ear as she bent above him, kissed him with
her heart on her lips, and finally stole like a mouse down the stairs
again.

When she came into the library once more it was to find herself in arms
which held her close. "Do you think I don't understand, my dearest?"
said the low voice which had such power to move her. "Do you think I