y be, it was certainly
best for her that things should have turned out just as they did.

But I must now leave Jack, and get on to--

CHAPTER XXXVII.

MY OWN AFFAIRS.--A DRIVE AND HOW IT CAME OFF.--VARYING MOODS.--THE
EXCITED, THE GLOOMY, AND THE GENTLEMANLY.--STRAYING ABOUT
MONTMORENCY.--REVISITING A MEMORABLE SCENE.--EFFECT OF SAID SCENE.--A
MUTE APPEAL AND AN APPEAL IN WORDS.--RESULT OF THE APPEALS.--"WILL YOU
TURN AWAY?"--GRAND RESULT.--CLIMAX.--FINALE.--A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING
ALL ROUND, AND A UNIVERSAL EXPLANATION OF NUMEROUS PUZZLES.

All this was very well. Of course. To a generous nature like mine, the
happiness of a friend could not fail to extend itself. For I'm awfully
sympathetic, you know. I don't remember whether I've made that remark
before or not, but in either case the fact remains. Yet, sympathetic or
not, every fellow has his own affairs, you know, and, as a matter of
course, these engage his chief attention. Now all my affairs circled
around one centre, and that centre was--Marion!

I had seen her on the previous evening. I had made an engagement with
her and Nora to go out with me for a drive on the following day, and we
had arranged all about it. We were to drive to Montmorency Falls, a
place which is the chief attraction among the environs of Quebec. I had
not been there since that memorable day when I rode there with the
doctor to find my bird flown.

Accordingly on the next day, at the appointed hour, I drew up in front
of O'Halloran's and went in. The ladies were there, but Nora was
half-reclining on a couch, and seemed rather miserable. She complained
of a severe attack of neuralgia, and lamented that she could not go. Up
on this I expressed my deepest regrets, and I hoped that Miss
O'Halloran would come. But Marion demurred, and said she wouldn't leave
Nora. Whereupon Nora urged her to go, and finally, after evident
reluctance, Marion allowed herself to be persuaded.

It was with an inexpressible feeling of exultation that I drove off
with her. At last we were alone together, and would be so for hours.
The frigidity which had grown up within her during the last two months
might possibly be relaxed now under the influence of this closer
association. My heart beat fast. I talked rapidly about every thing. In
my excitement I also drove rapidly at first, but finally I had
sufficient sense to see that there was no need to shorten so precious
an interview by hurrying it through,