"Yes, brave as I can be, for your sake, Dic. But you must not forget that I cannot be very brave long at a time without help from you! Oh, Dic, how can I bear to be so far away from you? I shall see you only on Sundays; a whole week apart! You have never been from me so long since I can remember till you went to New York. I told you trouble would come from that trip; but you will come to me Sundays--by Saturday night's stage?" "Yes, every Sunday." "Surely? You will never fail me? I shall die of disappointment if you fail me once. All week I shall live on the hope of Sunday." "I'll come, Rita. You need not fear." "And Dic, you will not go often to see Sukey Yates, will you?" "I'll not speak to her, if you wish. She is nothing to me. I'll not go near her." "No, I don't ask that. I fear I am very selfish. You will be lonely when I am gone and--and you may go to see Sukey--and--and the other girls once in a while. But you won't go too often to see Sukey and--and you won't grow to caring for her--one bit, will you?" "I will not go at all." "Oh, but you must; I command you. You would think I do not trust you if I would not let you go at all. I don't entirely trust her, though I am sure I am wrong and wicked to doubt her; but I trust you, and would trust you with any one." "I, too, trust you, Rita. It will be impossible for you to mistreat Williams, associated as he is with your father. For the sake of peace, treat him well, but--" "He shall never touch my hand, Dic; that I swear! I can't keep him from coming to our house, but it will be torture when I shall be wanting you. Oh, Dic--" and tears came before she could take her hands from under the bearskins to cover her face. But as I said, I cannot tell you all the plans and castles they built, nor shall I try. The wise man buildeth many castles, but he abideth not therein, lest they crumble about his ears and crush him. Castles built of air often fall of stone. Therefore, only the foolish man keeps revel in the great hall or slumbers in the donjon-keep. * * * * * Early upon the second Sunday after the Bayses' advent to Indianapolis, Dic, disdaining the stage, rode a-horseback and covered the distance before noon. Mr. Bays and Tom received him with open arms. Rita would have done likewise in a more literal sense could she have had him alone for a moment. But you can see her smiles and hear her gentle heart beats, even as Dic saw and heard them. A bunch of cold, bony fingers was given to Dic by Mother Justice. When he arrived Williams was present awaiting dinner, and after Mrs. Bays had given the cold fingers, she said:-- "I suppose we'll have to try to crowd another plate on the table. We didn't expect an extra guest."