ill love him and comfort him."

"I shall love him and stay with him all my life," said Doris with tender
solemnity.

They were both too young to understand all that such a promise implied.

"My dear little sister!" He rose and stooping over kissed her on the
fair forehead. "I will walk back to the house with you," he added as she
rose.

Neither of them said a word until they reached the corner. Then he took
both hands and, kissing her again, turned away, feeling that he could
not even utter a good-by.

Doris stood quite still, as if she was stunned. She was not crying in
any positive fashion, but the tears dropped silently. She could not go
indoors, so she went down to the big apple tree that had a seat all
around the trunk. Was Uncle Win at home? Then she heard voices. Miss
Recompense had a visitor, and she was very glad.

The lady, an old friend, stayed to supper. Uncle Win did not make his
appearance. Doris took a book afterward and sat out on the stoop, but
reading was only a pretense. She was frightened now at having a secret,
and it seemed such a solemn thing as she recalled what she had promised.
She would like to spend all her life with Uncle Win; but could she care
for him and make him happy, when the one great love of his life was
gone?

Miss Recompense walked out to the gate with her visitor, and they had a
great many last bits to say, and then she watched her going down the
street.

"Child, you can't see to read," she said to Doris. "I think it is damp.
You had better come in. Mr. Adams will not be home before ten."

Doris entered the lighted hall and stood a moment uncertain.

"How pale and heavy-eyed you look!" exclaimed Miss Recompense. "Does
your head ache? Have they some new trouble in Sudbury Street?"

"Oh, no. But I am tired. I think I will go to bed. Good-night, dear Miss
Recompense," and she gave her a gentle hug.

She cried a little softly to her pillow. Had Cary gone? When Uncle Win
came home he would find the letter. She dreaded to-morrow.

Cary had one more errand before he started. He had said good-by to them
at Madam Royall's and announced his enlistment, but he had asked Alice
to meet him at the foot of the garden. They were not lovers, though he
was perhaps quite in love. And he knew that he had only to speak to gain
his father's consent and have his way to matrimony made easy, since it
was Alice Royall. But he had never been quite sure that she cared for
him with her whole s