From the Car Behind

e wide staircase to meet him, finger on lip; a childish figure in the creamy lace and

"And so cold! Come near the hear

re hall with ruddy reflections and dancing shadows. He was cold to the touch, ice clung to t

u to sleep, too, Other Fellow, because the worst of it all is over. I don't mean that thin

or she question, Mr. Rose came between the curtains of the arched library door, a massive, dominant presence as he stood

d like to leave the day after to-morrow, if you do not object. I am going to stay with a western friend. I know you w

d pathetically tired, with his wind-ruffled fair hair pushed back and in his bearing of dignified self-dependence. A quiver

"I gave you leave to go when and where you pleased. To-morrow I'

sir," Corrie

end. It won't help anything for you to be pinched or uncomfortable. I've no wish to see it. I am going to take your sister t

ed as the speaker stepped back into the inner room, but Corrie turne

moment: "Flavia, I am going with Allan Gerard,

rri

me to go. Unless he forces an answer, I shall not say where I am to be. But Gerard said I must tell you everything a

s wanderer to a traveller towards a known destination, comprehended with a passionate outrush of gratitude to the man who had w

of relief. "I can bear to let you go fr

the mother they had left so far down the path of years-on the hear

expecting to have lots of days like that, pearl-days. I couldn't see any farther than that! Yet that night-I don't expect now, what I did then; I've lost my chance for i

helplessly felt her eyes fill and overflow. One comfort, one hope she had that he did not share. If he went with Allan Gerard, and if Gerard took h

tread on this nebulous fairy-ground? Dared

just audible, "dear, has Mr. Ge

gh overcoat. Himself a lover, he yet had not suspected this other roma

you are well, each day. He ne

onventionality of Gerard's apparent attitude, as represented by those formal inquiries. Almost she w

e to speak as she had imagined. "Only, as his hos

a farewell call before he leaves. He isn't very fit, you know; he hasn't been out ye

speak of her to anyone, since to-morrow he would come to see her? To-m

r to her thought. He sighed wearily. "You

ng on one another. But Allan Gerard was a third presence with them, and in the

out their tasks. Corrie's preparations were unostentatious, but Isabel's agitated the entire household. Also, Mr. Rose issued his instructions that Flavia sh

ith him all the morning, and when each returned home she suspended breath in anticipation of hearing the step of a guest also-the st

ng tea-rose yellow above which her warm hair showed burnished gold. He mu

or, setting the last pearl comb in pla

on't believe you care at all about Corrie's going away. Of course you do

more serious care and earnest thoughtfulness than she had used in preparing to receive Gerard to-night. This was no time for coquetry; as he came for her, she would go to him, she knew, without e

ending in a lace-fine pearl cross. Never could she attempt to tell her cousin the blended motives from which she

rtin told me there was a messenger waiting t

up over Flavia'

enger,

up his message. I told Ma

throat. There was no escape from Isabel

quested, and passed into her

ng blossoms from the hyacinths in a bowl near her. All day she had been especially nervo

culate figure as New Yorkese as Broadway itself. The movement that brought Flavia across to him was impulsive as a confident child's and accompanied by a

bring a message to me, Mr. Ru

of speech. "I've been given this to deliver to Miss Rose, from Mr. Gerard, under orders t

to receive it, Isabel reached her side and seized

panted. "Give it

e other girl with slow-gathering,

ted this from Mr.

mered. "You shall not read it, Flavia Rose, you s

Very quietly Flavia disengaged her arm from the grasp hold

er, my cousin or me?"

now," avowed Rupert, troubled and hesitant

lf, for whom did

egan it after Mr. Rose had been with him, yesterda

sabel reiterate

rong, cool determination inherited from Thomas Rose that held Flavia

ver more perfect. "I am sorry to have confused so simple a matt

g up a book. She was conscious that Rupert watched her, and she would make no sign that might constitute a self-betrayal when recounted to Gerard if she were indeed so pitifully wrong and he had from the first chosen her cousin. What she was not in the least aware of, was the inevitable

the page avidly. The result was unanticipated; there was a sharp cry, an instant of indecision, th

ee him-I can't bear it! Tell him

charged the atmosphere of the room with vi

ad this?" s

ad it, h

been other communication between her and the sender. The conviction of her own utter mistake struck Flavi

ed the box of yellow roses in giving the "definition of the meaning of Flavia Rose." The mute evidence

ed abruptly, witho

personal vanity; I fancy it is not quite that, but rather the humiliation of the man who has always been well-dressed and who suddenly finds himself sent into public sight in a shabby, tattered garment. I had accepted my physical conventionality as part of my social equipment. I do not say this in reproach to anyone or to affect you; I am perfectly sure that you will not offer me the last insult of supposing so or of answering me from that viewp

lease trust me so far, and if I have offended or seemed t

n Ger

his endured pain of mind and body, this self-revelation that was the difficult baring of a heart not used to show itself and avowal of weakness at the core of so much strength, drew from her an outrush of maternal protectiveness that rolled its flood above persona

-morrow?" she asked composedly. If the composure w

girl shr

s-I

? Surely, if you expected him to

see him hurt like that and hear him, hear him--" she broke off, fighting for br

over's outward beauty. Isabel could not bear to go to him; the irony of it sank deep into the girl who could scarcely bear to stay away. But Flavia turned to the

to answer his letter now," she directed. "I hope she will be able

Isabel

Rose," Rupert ass

nes met, and read each other. Flavia to

we shall meet again, ev

the mechanician knew, as he touched her soft fingers, that he would keep to himself the knowledge that

repeated Flavia's dictated message and contributed nothing of additional inform

family that ain't got any ye

as asked

ities of all Corrie's ardent young passion without his impulsive faults, and whose warmth of nature had drawn him as a fireside draws a wanderer. He would not doubt her for such slight cause, he would wait for morning and her further answer, but he felt a

ite to," answered his m

Rose went to the littl