sent they sat down beside the gurgling
water. They talked much and were silent much.

For the first time Lewis had something in mind which he was afraid to
tell to Natalie. He was not afraid for her. It was a selfish fear. He
was afraid for himself--afraid to tell her that two short days would
close the door for them on childhood. He wondered that mere years had
been powerless to close that door. He looked on Natalie, and knew that
renunciation would be hard.

Natalie had tossed aside her hat. She sat leaning against the crisp
trunk of a silver birch. Her hands were in her lap. Her dress was
crumpled up, displaying her crossed feet and the tantalizing line of her
slim ankles. Against the copper green of the tree trunk the mass of her
hair was pressed, gold upon the shadow of gold. Her moist lips were half
open. Her eyes were away, playing with memory.

"Bet you can't tell me the first thing you ever said to me," said Lewis.

"My dwess is wumpled," said Natalie, promptly, a single dimple coming
and going with her sudden smile. Then she looked down and blushed. She
straightened out her skirt, and patted it in place. They looked at each
other and laughed.

"Do you remember what came after that?" said Lewis, teasingly. "We
kissed each other."

Natalie nodded.

"Nat," said Lewis, "do you remember any kiss after that one?"

"No," said Natalie.

"Funny," said Lewis. "I don't either. Do you want me to kiss you when it
comes to saying good-by?"

Natalie turned a wide and questioning look on him.

"No," she said in a tone he had never heard from her before,

Lewis sank back upon one elbow. He had been on the point of telling her
that good-by was only two days off. Her tone stopped him. "Do you
remember the night of the sunset?" he asked, instead.

Natalie nodded.

"I said I was going to sail to the biggest island. You said you were,
too, and I said you couldn't because you were littlest. Do you
remember?"

Natalie sank her head slowly in assent. Her lower lip trembled. Suddenly
she laughed and sprang to her feet.

"Come on," she cried, "or we'll be late for supper. I'll beat you to the
fence." She was off with a rush, but Lewis got to the fence first. He
helped her over with mock ceremony. When they came to a wall farther on
he helped her over again. This helping Natalie over obstacles was
something new. It gave him faint twinges of pleasure.

They came to the foot of the pasture at the back of the house and