The night had at last arrived for Clarence Vallero's return.

At an early hour, Martha beguiled the time at the piano until her aunt departed for the village. After kissing her good-bye she hastily went up into her room, and with infinite pains sought to make herself charming for her lover's return. She was unusually solicitous about arranging her hair, brushing it until the long, wavy strands shone like gold, twisting them into a most becoming coiffure. She chose the soft pink gown she had worn the day he had met her gathering flowers, the gown he liked best to see her in. Its low cut neck and short sleeves revealed her full white throat, her shapely arms and dimpled elbows. When she had finished dressing and saw her reflection in the mirror she smiled approvingly.

"Clarence says that I am beautiful," she mused half mockingly. "I suppose ell lovers talk in the same way. Still, they say happiness is a great beautifier. It really has improved my looks wonderfully since love came to me. Love!" she breathed heavily. "How it seems to transform and glorify everything! How colorless and dull my life was until Clarence came into it."

"And how terribly lonesome I have been since he has been away from me for a few days. Now, in an other hour, I shall see him. How my heart begins to beat at the thought of being held in his arms again. Oh, I am so happy - I just wonder if any one ever loved as we two. What would I do if anything should ever happen to separate us?'9

She shivered slightly. "Strange how such a thought persists in haunting me. It has weighed upon me all day like a nightmare - I can't shake it off. Even now, when the joy of his sweet kisses already thrill me, there creeps over me a strange feeling of something like - fear." Again she trembled. "I can't understand why I should feel this way, my heart longing to be with him and yet at the same time something holding me back; a strange feeling of reluctance to meet Clarence - almost as if it were wrong to be with him alone tonight."

For a few moments she sat down in grave meditation. "If there were only some one in whom I could confide."

As if following a sudden impulse, she arose and took from her dressing table a quaint old fashioned chain and locket. Opening it she gazed silently upon a dear face within. With quivering lips and tears rolling down her cheeks, she questioned tenderly. "Mother, do you know my secret - you and father? Are you glad to see me so happy? What? Mother dear," she exclaimed in whispered tones. "Why do your eyes look at me so sadly?" She took the picture to the window and held it in the waning light.

"How strange that I thought your eyes looked at me so appealingly. It must have been this depressing mood that distorts everything."

She held the picture to the light upon the dressing table, turning it at various angles, trying to catch the smile that had so mysteriously vanished. At last with a deep-drawn sigh she placed the locket in its case, hesitated a moment, took it out again and clasped the chain around her neck "I want you to be with me tonight, mother," whispered Martha tremulously, pressing the dear picture to her lips and choking back a sob that filled her throat with a threatening outburst.

"For I remember what you so many times have told me - that your love would guide and protect me always. Why then should I doubt when I most need you, mother, or hold this foreboding thought or premonition any longer? I know you will not forsake me tonight."

Throwing about herself a light grey mantle and hood she stepped cautiously from the house and out into the garden, lighted dimly by the crescent-shaped moon.

As she stepped forth along the walk, she glanced furtively about. "How dense and ghostly the shadows lie among the trees!"

"I'm almost afraid to cross the lawn. Hark, what was that? The night birds are calling. No, that was not a bird - it is Clarence whistling for me!"

Hastily she took a few steps forward, then stopped abruptly.

"I cannot go on," she murmured.

Her lithe body trembled, she grew dizzy, held herself against a tree, and like a hunted animal peered nervously into the darkness of the shrubbery. She startled - in alarm - a shadowy form brushed past her and with a swift movement disappeared near the house.

"Mercy, what was that? How frightened I am! I feel so faint - and weak - that I can hardly stand." -

Her heart throbbed violently. With a great effort she succeeded in reaching a little bench under a tree where she almost fell exhausted upon it. - Another shrill whistle startled her again to her feet and she ran along the path without stopping, until a pair of strong arms caught the frightened girl in a passionate embrace. Straining her trembling form to his breast, Vallero kissed her madly:

"Darling, I thought you were never coming. Didn't you hear me call you, sweetheart?"

"Oh! Clarence!" she exclaimed, when at last she could speak. "I was so afraid, I imagined all sorts of terrible things - and I saw a ghost-like figure glide swiftly along under the trees and into the house. It nearly frightened me to death. "Don't think me silly, Clarence," she laughed hysterically.

"It was your own shadow you saw, darling," interrupted Vallero nervously.

"I feel safe enough now," she added softly, "when you hold me in your arms." Yet Martha shivered - "This horrible fear creeps over me again."

"Has anything happened that should - has your brother returned, sweetheart?"

"No, and I have had no word from him. Oh, Clarence, you don't think anything has befallen him that I should feel so depressed, nervous - as though there was a great danger - of something that would separate us?"

"No, darling, no. I have provided for that which will never part us again. Listen, dear heart - I have been suddenly called abroad."

He felt her tremble against him. "There, there, dearie, don't be alarmed. You shall go with me."

Martha gave a startled cry. "How soon must you go, Clarence?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" she echoed blankly. "Why, I - couldn't go tonight."

"What would hinder you, darling?"

"What would hinder me?" she repeated doubt-iagly - "Why, Clarence, you surprise me to ask such an impossible thing. Go away with you, tonight!"

Gently he smoothed her hair and his trembling voice betrayed his disappointment and deep feeling, while he kissed her quivering lips passionately.

"It is only, sweetheart, that I cannot endure to leave you again so soon."

She clung to him in terror. "Must you go tonight? Can you not wait------."

"Impossible," he exclaimed impatiently. "The business requires my personal attention. The thing is imperative. I tried hard to get a substitute and in every conceivable way sought to evade it but it was of no use. When I found that I had to go, I knew, darling, that I could not leave you behind and that you must go with me, to become my wife. For this I have made every provision. My car is at the foot of the hill and in it is everything my little bride will need tonight. In the morning we will be married; then on to New York and aboard my yacht, which will be waiting for us. Won't we have a glorious honeymoon, darling? Will you come, sweetheart, to be mine forever?"

He entreated her passionately, pressing his lips to hers, waiting for her answer to his pleading.

"Why, Clarence," she said reproachfully, "that would mean eloping - running away from home - without Don or Auntie knowing anything about it. No, dear, I could not do that," she faltered.

"If you must go, although it will be terribly hard and lonely for me, we must wait until you return, and then I'll become your wife in an honorable way. Your way would be wrong."

"But, Martha, dear, think of the long months of useless separation, and all this precious time of our lives lost in misery away from each other."

Instinctively she recoiled from his arms.

Vallero continued, in alarm at her sudden movement, and drew her quickly back into his embrace saying: "There is nothing wrong about it, dearie. Hundreds of people are married in just such an unexpected way."

"It is wrong, nevertheless, for me to do this. I am sorry, Clarence.'9 She choked back the tears that were welling from the depths of her heart, then firmly exclaimed: "No, I shall not run off in such a fashion."

Vallero felt the ring of finality in her tone and knew the uselessness of persuasion. For a few moments a painful silence fell between them - then encircling her with his arm he asked her pleadingly:

"Is it that you do not love me sufficiently to trust me, that------."

She put her hand over his lips. "Hush, Clarence - I do love you, and I also love my brother enough not to bring a shadow of disgrace upon his good name. If you love me, as you say you do, you would shield my honor instead of tempting me to do what I know in my heart to be wrong."

Vallero felt the shudder of her form as she continued falteringly:

"Clarence, forgive me if I wound your feelings, but that strange fear creeps over me and a voice within me whispers to me now that you love me not purely, that------"

"My God, Martha, I love you so much that I would not harm one hair of your head! Listen, my beautiful one!"

At this moment a gleam of moonlight fell upon her uplifted face. How pale it looked as she listened to his ardent pleadings.

"I love you - love you! I would give my life for you! Look deep into my eyes, darling; and read in my heart what I feel for you. Mine is a love that I am not able to express - I love you so, Martha, that I cannot leave you again - H you love me - you must prove it by trusting me completely. I have a right to demand this of you now." Vallero was piercing her with his powerful eyes. - "You must come with me now, Martha - put your hand in mine. - There - that is a dear, brave girl. Now, come, let us hasten to the car. - Hark! What was that------?"

Vallero glanced behind him. - "Some one is coming - quick, darling, into this arbor!"

He snatched Martha close to him and started for the arbor, but-----he was too late - .