fire. If I
return, I return; if not, never breathe a word of these things to a
living soul as you value your life."

"I would rather die than divulge anything," Charlotte protested
solemnly, and her choice of the word divulge seemed to add
considerably to the dignity of the proceedings.

They separated with a casual nod, that people might not suspect them
of anything important, and each proceeded to act her part in a
delightful state of excitement; but what was thrilling earnest to
Charlotte, calling for courage and endurance, was merely an
exhilarating play of the fancy put into practice to Beth.

By the time Charlotte arrived at the top of the hill, and had settled
herself among the firs overlooking the road below, she was very tired.
Beth had given her a bag, one of Aunt Victoria's many reticules, with
orders not to open it before her watch began. The bag had been a
burden to carry, but Charlotte was repaid for the trouble, for she
found it full of good things to eat, and a bottle of cold coffee and
cream to drink, with lumps of sugar and all complete. Beth had really
displayed the most thoughtful kindness in packing that bag. The
contents she had procured on a sudden impulse from a pastry-cook in
the town, by promising to pay the next time she passed.

After having very much enjoyed a solid Melton Mowbray pie, a sausage
in puff-pastry, a sponge-cake, a lemon cheesecake, and two crisp
brandy snaps, and slowly sipped the coffee, Charlotte felt that this
was the only life worth living, and formally vowed to dedicate herself
for ever to the Secret Service of Humanity--Beth's name for these
enterprises. She kept a careful eye on the road below all this time,
and there ran through her head the while fragments of a ballad Beth
had written, which added very much to the charm of the occasion.

"The fir-trees whisper overhead,
Between the living and the dead,
I watch the livelong day.
I watch upon the mountain-side
For one of courage true and tried,
Who should ride by this way,"

it began. When she first heard that Beth had written that ballad,
Charlotte was astonished. It was the only assertion of Beth's she had
ever doubted; but Beth assured her that any one could write verses,
and convinced her by "making some up" there and then on a subject
which she got Charlotte to choose for her.

Many things passed on the road below--teams of waggons, drawn by
beautiful big cart-horses with glo