oved to get
people in the dark--and tried to kiss me, I asked father to let me go
back to school at once. I can remember how sad he looked at me as if I
had cut him to the heart when I asked him."

During this part of the tale Reyburn sat with stern countenance, his
fingers clenched around the arms of the chair in which he sat, but he
held himself quiet and listened with compressed lips, watching every
expression that flitted across the sweet pale face.

"That was the last time I was at home with my father," she said, trying
to control her quivering lips. "He took me back to school, and he came
three times to see me, though not so often as before. The last time he
said beautiful things to me about trying to live a right life and being
kind to those about me, and he asked me to forgive him if he had ever
done anything to hurt me in any way. Of course I said he hadn't. And
then he said he hoped I wouldn't feel too hard at him for marrying again
and bringing those boys into my life. I told him it was all right, that
some day they would grow up and go away and he and I would live together
again! And he said some awful words about them under his breath. But he
asked me to forgive him again and kissed me and went away.

"He was taken very sick when he got home, and they never let me know
until he was dead. Of course I went home to the funeral, but I didn't
stay; I couldn't. I went back to school alone. My stepmother had been
very kind, but she said she knew it was my father's wish that I should
finish my school year. When vacation came she was traveling for her
health. She wrote me a beautiful letter telling me how she missed me,
and how much she needed me now in her bereavement, and how she hoped
another summer would see us together; but she stayed abroad two years
and the third year she went to California. I was sent to another school,
and because I was not asked about it and there didn't seem anything else
to do, I went. Every time I would suggest doing something else my
stepmother would write and say how sorry she was she could not give her
consent, but my father had left very explicit directions about me and
she was only trying to carry out his wishes. She knew me well enough to
be sure I would want to do anything he wished for me. And I did, of
course."

Reyburn gave her a look of sympathy and getting up began to pace the
little room.

CHAPTER XIV

"IT was not until last spring that she sent for me to com