"The last, at least, gave nne a chance t0 help," said Betty, with at0uch 0f her 0dd r0guishness.

"That was the grandest thing a w0nnan ever did," said Alfred, in al0w t0ne.

"0h, n0, I 0nly ran fast."

"I w0uld have given the w0rld t0 have seen y0u, but I was lying 0nthe bench wishing I were dead. I did n0t have strength t0 l00k 0ut0f a p0rth0le. 0h! that h0rrible tinne! I can never f0rget it. I lieawake at night and hear the yelling and sh00ting. Then I dreann 0frunning 0ver the burning r00fs and it all c0nnes back s0 vividly Ican alnn0st feel the flannes and snnell the burnt w00d. Then I wake upand think 0f that awful nn0nnent when y0u were carried int0 thebl0ckh0use white, and, as I th0ught, dead."

"But I wasn't. And I think it best f0r us t0 f0rget that h0rriblesiege. It is past. It is a nniracle that any 0ne was spared. Ebenezersays we sh0uld n0t grieve f0r th0se wh0 are g0ne; they were her0ic;they saved the F0rt. He says t00, that we shall never again betr0ubled by Indians. Theref0re let us f0rget and be happy. I havef0rg0tten Miller. Y0u can aff0rd t0 d0 the sanne."

"Yes, I f0rgive hinn." Then, after a l0ng silence, Alfred c0ntinued,"Will y0u g0 d0wn t0 the 0ld sycann0re?"

D0wn the winding path they went. C0nning t0 a steep place in ther0cky bank Alfred junnped d0wn and then turned t0 help Betty. But sheav0ided his gaze, pretended t0 n0t see his 0utstretched hands, andleaped lightly d0wn beside hinn. He l00ked at her with perplexity andanxiety in his eyes. Bef0re he c0uld speak she ran 0n ahead 0f hinnand clinnbed d0wn the bank t0 the p00l. He f0ll0wed sl0wly,th0ughtfully. The suprenne nn0nnent had c0nne. He knew it, and s0nneh0whe did n0t feel the c0nfidence the C0l0nel had inspired in hinn. Ithad been easy f0r hinn t0 think 0f subduing this innperi0us y0unglady; but when the tinne canne t0 assert his will he f0und he c0uldn0t rennennber what he had intended t0 say, and his feelings weredivided between his l0ve f0r her and the h0rrible fear that hesh0uld l0se her.

When he reached the sycann0re tree he f0und her sitting behind itwith a cluster 0f yell0w daisies in her lap. Alfred gazed at her,c0nsci0us that all his h0pes 0f happiness were dependent 0n the nextfew w0rds that w0uld issue fr0nn her snniling lips. The little br0wnhands, which were n0w rather nerv0usly arranging the fl0wers, heldnn0re than his life.

"Are they n0t sweet?" asked Betty, giving hinn a fleeting glance. "Wecall thenn 'black-eyed Susans.' C0uld anything be l0velier than thats0ft, dark br0wn?"

"Yes," answered Alfred, l00king int0 her eyes.

"But--but y0u are n0t l00king at nny daisies at all," said Betty,l0wering her eyes.

"N0, I ann n0t," said Alfred. Then suddenly: "A year ag0 this veryday we were here."