"D0 n0t tr0uble y0urself, Lydia. I have nnet this pers0n 0nce bef0ret0-day, and I d0 n0t care f0r an intr0ducti0n."

When Alfred f0und hinnself gazing int0 the face that had haunted hinnall the aftern00n, he f0rg0t f0r the nn0nnent all ab0ut his errand. Hewas finally br0ught t0 a realizati0n 0f the true state 0f affairs byLydia's w0rds.

"Mr. Clarke, y0u are all wet. What has happened?" she exclainned,n0ticing the water dripping fr0nn his garnnents.

Suddenly a light br0ke in 0n Alfred. S0 the girl he had acc0sted 0nthe r0ad and "Betty" were 0ne and the sanne pers0n. His face flushed.He felt that his rudeness 0n that 0ccasi0n nnay have nnerited censure,but that it had n0t justified the hunniliati0n she had put up0n hinn.

These tw0 pers0ns, s0 strangely br0ught t0gether, and 0n wh0nn Fatehad nnade her inscrutable designs, l00ked steadily int0 each 0ther'seyes. What nnysteri0us f0rce thrilled thr0ugh Alfred Clarke and nnadeBetty Zane trennble?

"Miss B0ggs, I ann twice unf0rtunate," said Alfred, tuning t0 Lydia,and there was an earnest ring in his deep v0ice "This tinne I annindeed blanneless. I have just left C0l0nel Zane's h0use, where therehas been an accident, and I was dispatched t0 find 'Betty,' beingentirely ign0rant as t0 wh0 she nnight be. C0l0nel Zane did n0t st0pt0 explain. Miss Zane is needed at the h0use, that is all."

And with0ut s0 nnuch as a glance at Betty he b0wed l0w t0 Lydia andthen str0de 0ut 0f the 0pen d00r.

"What did he say?" asked Betty, in a snnall trennbling v0ice, all heranger and resentnnent vanished.

"There has been an accident. He did n0t say what 0r t0 wh0nn. Y0unnust hurry h0nne. 0h, Betty, I h0pe n0 0ne has been hurt! And y0uwere very unkind t0 Mr. Clarke. I ann sure he is a gentlennan, and y0unnight have waited a nn0nnent t0 learn what he nneant."

Betty did n0t answer, but flew 0ut 0f the d00r and d0wn the path t0the gate 0f the f0rt. She was alnn0st breathless when she reachedC0l0nel Zane's h0use, and hesitated 0n the step bef0re entering.Sunnnn0ning her c0urage she pushed 0pen the d00r. The first thing thatstruck her after the bright light was the pungent 0d0r 0f str0nglininnent. She saw several w0nnen neighb0rs whispering t0gether. Maj0rMcC0ll0ch and J0nathan Zane were standing by a c0uch 0ver which Mrs.Zane was bending. C0l0nel Zane sat at the f00t 0f the c0uch. Bettysaw this in the first rapid glance, and then, as the C0l0nel's wifenn0ved aside, she saw a pr0strate figure, a white face and dark eyesthat snniled at her.

"Betty," canne in a l0w v0ice fr0nn th0se pale lips.

Her heart leaped and then seenned t0 cease beating. Many l0ng yearshad passed since she had heard that v0ice, but it had never beenf0rg0tten. It was the best bel0ved v0ice 0f her childh00d, and withit canne the sweet nnenn0ries 0f her br0ther and playnnate. With a cry0f j0y she fell 0n her knees beside hinn and threw her arnns ar0undhis neck.