her the
whole story of his love, his hopelessness on account of his poverty, his
determination not to go back to Ion to be thanked by Elsie and her parents
for saving her life, his inability to go or stay far away from her; and
finally owned that he had climbed the tree simply that he might be able to
watch her, himself unseen.

"Well, I must say you are a sensible young man!" laughed Mrs. Leland; "but
it was very unromantic to be so heavy as to break the limb and fall."

"True enough!" he said, half-laughing, half-sighing, while a deep flush
suffused his face.

"Well, what are you going to do next?"

"Go off to--Italy, I suppose."

"What for?"

"To try to make fame and money to lay at her feet."

"That is all very well, but I think----"

"Well?"

"It just struck me that I was about to give unasked advice, which is
seldom relished by the recipient."

"Please go on. I should like to have it whether I make use of it or not."

"Well, I think the honest, straightforward, and therefore best course,
would be to seek an interview with the parents of the young lady, tell
them frankly your feelings toward her, your hopes and purposes, and leave
it with them to say whether you shall go without speaking to her."

"They will take me for a fortune-hunter, I fear," he said, the color
mounting to his very hair.

"I think not; but at all events, I should risk it. I do not pretend to
know Elsie's feelings, but if she cares for you at all, it would be
treating her very badly indeed, to go away without letting her know yours;
unless her parents forbid it.

"There, I've said my say, and will not mention the subject again till you
do, but leave you to consider my advice at your leisure."

Lester did so during the next week, which was the last of the six of
enforced quietude, and the more he pondered it, the more convinced was he
of the soundness of his aunt's advice, and at length he fully resolved to
follow it.

Mr. Travilla had called frequently at Fairview, since his accident, always
inquiring for him, sometimes coming up to his room, at others merely
leaving kind messages from himself, wife and family, or some dainty to
tempt the appetite of the invalid. Eddie had been there, too, on similar
errands; but there was never a word from her whose lovely image was ever
present to his imagination.

* * * * *

Enna was recovering; was now able to sit up and to walk about the room.
There was