She sank wearily into an armchair. It seemed to her that her limit of

endurance had been reached, but he, taking her silence for

acquiescence, lost no time in following up what he fondly hoped might

be an advantage. "I did not go to the Putnams to-night, Anna, because

you were not going, and there is no enjoyment for me when you are not

there."

"Mr. David, if you continue to talk to me like this I shall have to

leave this house."

"Tell me, Anna," he said so gravely that the woman beside him knew that

life and death were balanced with her words: "tell me, when you said

that day last autumn by the well that you never intended to marry, was

it just a girl's coquetry or was there some deeper reason for your

saying so?"

She could not face the love in those honest eyes and answer as her

conscience prompted. She was tired, so tired of the struggle, what

would she not have given to rest here in the shelter of this perfect

love and trust, but it was not for her.

"Mr. David," she said, looking straight before her with wide, unseeing

eyes; "I can be no man's wife."

He knew from the lines of suffering written deep on the pale young

face, that maiden coquetry had not inspired her to speak thus; but word

for word, it had been wrung from out of the depths of a troubled soul.

"Anna!" cried David, in mingled astonishment and pain. But Anna only

turned mutely toward him with an imploring look. She stretched out her

hands to him, as if trying to tell him more. But words failed her.

Her tears overcame her and she fled, sobbing, to her room. All the way

up the winding night of stairs, David could hear her anguished moans.

He would have followed her, but Hi burst into the room, stamping the

snow from his boots. He shoved in the front door as if he had been an

invading army. He unwound his muffler and cast it from him as if he

had a grudge against it, as he proceeded to deliver himself of his

wrongs.

"If there's any more visitors coming to the house to-night that wants

their horses held, they can do it themselves, for I am going to have my

supper." David made no reply, but went to his own room to brood over

the day's events. And so Anna was spared any further talk with David

that night; a circumstance for which she was devoutly thankful.




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