"O Rob!"

It was Kathie's tender, upbraiding voice.

"Well, if he will not let me be pathetic, I must be tragic. There is a great fund of unused material lying about my massive brain."

"O Rob, it would be jolly to take you."

"As jolly as our first tour together to the campingground of the brave red men of our school days." And Rob laughed.

They settled about giving up the house. Mrs. Alston came up for a few days. Bruce held receptions and took the good wishes and love. The boys were not over-sentimental, yet it had been a kind of glorious winter, after all.

So they came to the last evening. Kathie had been playing some old songs, and Bruce was stretched out in the reclining chair; Rob was looking over several little matters, and the three were by themselves.

Kathie rose presently.

"Oh, we shall all miss you so much! I should not want the suffering over again, but ." And she came nearer

Bruce.

"It will be sweet to remember the sympathy and tenderness all my life long. Yes, it has been a happy time"; as if he had to convince himself of the happiness that should have been there.

Then he suddenly held out his hands.

"This is our good by," he began, taking both of hers, and drawing her to him.

She bent over, and there came a strange light in her face, a little flush, a swift tremulousness that she felt in her very finger ends.

"No" He would not let her say anything, but the sweet face came nearer, the lips touched his, pure as a child. He could not even kiss his parting that way; every pulse was in a flame. He moved the face a trifle,

and the brow received the secret of the lifelong love. Then he just murmured:

"Say not good night, but in some future time

Bid me good morning."

She went quietly out, as in a trance. He lay back on the pillow, and a sound like that of waves surged in his

ears.

"Bruce, old fellow, dear old chap! let me call her back! You have n't learned to unlove her all this time. Oh, it has been this

"Hush, I shall be better; I am better," rising in an excited manner, his eyes burning with an intense light. “It was miserable cowardice on my part-"

"No, it was n't!" vehemently. “And I don't see why you should not have your chance! I don't believe Kathie knows, or thinks. Let her compare the two loves and choose between them. Come, that will be only fair!"

"She has no right to compare his love with that of any other! She must take it or leave it, but to balance or weigh, to analyze-"

"I don't mean that," passionately. "If there is anything greater, tenderer, better-'

"Not even then, Rob. If I had not known of this I might plead for my chance. But it would be the one little ewe lamb over again, the friend treacherously supplanting the friend. I can't help loving her, but I can help being false and selfish. And I think we undervalue Charlie. He has a grandly simple nature, the unconsciously noble, the tender sweetness and truth of a woman. I don't wonder that a man would love to have him near when he came to die; and if God gave her to him, no one has a right to tempt her away. It would be a sin."

"But if God did not give? If you are all wrong? Rob was confused and troubled, and his eyes were filled with fear.

you nor I

"It has the semblance of giving. Neither have the right to remove the seal. If there is any mistake," and his voice shook visibly, "I think God will bring it to light, and I am going to stay until there is nothing more to tempt me, until I can come in and sit down by their fireside, a true, strong friend, and look them both in the face with clear eyes. I have been weak."

"I couldn't do it if I loved a woman as you love Kathie." The words seemed almost wrested from Rob.

"When you come to love a woman placed out of your reach," and then he remembered the chain that might last for a lifetime," you will go to God, then, Rob, for nothing else will be strong enough to save you."

Bruce dropped back on the pillow, deadly white, and shivered as if chilled through. Rob chafed the hands.

6.

“You are a loyal friend, Rob," said the other, and you must be true to the end. Promise me that you will never disturb Kathie's faith, their faith. Keep my secret; otherwise you may hurt and hinder some fine, choice work of God."

Rob winked the tears out of his eyes, but did not speak until Bruce said again, "Promise."

Then he bent over and kissed him, and was still sitting quietly beside him when the General entered.

The ladies said their good-byes at the house the next morning, but Rob and his uncle went down to see the travellers off. Mrs. Alston had a few articles to pack up, and some boxed to send to Brookside. Rob was relegated to Mr. Meredith's care. Charlie was to go on with his work, and when Kathie was quite rested up they would talk over matters.

So Kathie returned to Cedarwood with her mother. There seemed a little lull in merry-making. Georgie Halford was married and gone. Mrs. Hunsdon had a wonderful baby. Eugene Collamore was coming to a graver and higher manhood, and, like Bruce, putting away the

joy that was not for him. A more serious tone seemed settling over the young people. Kathie had hours of quiet revery, long walks by herself, from which she sometimes came in with a curiously disturbed face. It seemed as if there had never been time to think of herself until now.

A very quiet summer it proved. They heard from the voyagers, and all was well. What was to come next?

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE period had at length reached Kathie Alston when the personal responsibility of living could no longer be evaded. The happy childhood, full of love, the bright, radiant youth, with friends and counsel on every side, tenderest care bridging over the rough places, wise thoughts smooothing out little perplexities, until now, when she must make the great decision for herself.

What had changed the placid current, what troubled her with importunate asking? Why she should not go forward gladly to the new life? The "girls" each in her time had been so happy, so full of little palpitant joys that shone in their eyes, trembled on their lips, and fluttered up and down broken, incoherent sentences. She was grave and calm when she talked with Charlie about his work; they joyed over the pleasant happenings to their friends; they took pride in Rob. In all these things they could stand side by side. But when it came to the more intimate life, thethou and I," she drew back with a shiver as if some phantom looked out at her with fearful eyes.

One summer night, when she sat holding Bertie asleep in her arms, loath to lay the sweet little thing in her bed, they talked about Rob.

"Uncle,” she said, "if it had been merely an engagement, would Rob have been right in giving it up?'

"I think he would, if his family had advised such a thing. I am not a believer in very young engagements. A fancy can take time to grow into strength and richness, to reach out to a glad and hopeful awaiting of all that is