en to blow the last remnant of cloud from her
happy soul. And because more of her is now in the light than in the
dark, she knows it is only a question of time. But the last hours of
waiting are always the longest, and we like herself can do no better
than spend them in dreams, where if we are lucky we shall catch a
glimpse of the angels of truth.

Like the last five leaves blown from an autumn branch, the milkmaids
fluttered from the apple-tree and couched their sleepy heads on their
tired arms, and went each by herself into her particular dream; where
if she found company or not she never told. But Jane sat prim and
thoughtful with her elbow in her hand and her finger making a dimple in
her cheek, considering deeply. And presently Martin began to cough a
little, and then a little more, and finally so troublesomely that she
was obliged to lay her profound thoughts aside, to attend to him with a
little frown. Was even Euclid impervious to midges?

"Have you taken cold, Master Pippin?" said Jane.

"I'm afraid so," he confessed humbly; "for we all know that when we
catch cold the grievance is not ours, but our nurse's."

"How did it happen?" demanded Jane, rightly affronted. "Have you been
getting your feet wet in the duckpond again?"

"The trouble lies higher," murmured Martin, and held his shirt together
at the throat.

Jane looked at him and colored and said, "That is the merest pretense.
It was only one button and it is a very warm night. I think you must be
mistaken about your cold."

"Perhaps I am," said Martin hopefully.

"And you only coughed and coughed and kept on coughing," continued
Jane, "because I had forgotten all about you and was thinking of
something quite different."

"It is almost impossible to deceive you," said Martin.

"Oh, Master Pippin," said Jane earnestly, "since I turned seventeen I
have seen into people's motives so clearly that I often wish I did not;
but I cannot help it."

Martin: You poor darling!

Jane: You must not say that word to me, Master Pippin.

Martin: It was very wrong of me. The word slipped out by mistake. I
meant to say clever, not poor.

Jane: Did you? I see. Oh, but--

Martin: Please don't be modest. We must always stand by the truth,
don't you think?

Jane: Above all things.

Martin: How long did it take you to discover my paltry ruse? How long
did you hear me coughing?

Jane: From the very beginning.

Martin: And can you think of two things at o