“Who are they?” she asked indifferently, and only to heighten the absurdity by realising the persons. “You don't know them,” he said. “Mrs. Frobisher and her sister, of Portland. I promised to meet them there and go out to Cambridge with them.” “What will they think?” asked Alice. “It's too amusing.” “They'll think I didn't come,” said Mavering, with the easy conscience of youth and love; and again they laughed at the ridiculous position together. “I remember now I was to be at the door, and they were to take me up in their carriage. I wonder how long they waited? You put everything else out of my head.” “Do you think I'll keep it out?” she asked archly. “Oh yes; there is nothing else but you now.” The eyes that she dropped, after a glance at him, glistened with tears. A lump came into his throat. “Do you suppose,” he asked huskily, “that we can ever misunderstand each other again?” “Never. I see everything clearly now. We shall trust each other implicitly, and at the least thing that isn't clear we can speak. Promise me that you'll speak.” “I will, Alice. But after this all will be clear. We shall deal with each other as we do with ourselves.” “Yes; that will be the way.” “And we mustn't wait for question from each other. We shall know--we shall feel--when there's any misgiving, and then the one that's caused it will speak.” “Yes,” she sighed emphatically. “How perfectly you say it? But that's because you feel it, because you are good.” They walked on, treading the air in a transport of fondness for each other. Suddenly he stopped. “Miss Pasmer, I feel it my duty to warn you that you're letting me go home with you.” “Am I? How noble of you to tell me, Dan; for I know you don't want to tell. Well, I might as well. But I sha'n't let you come in. You won't try, will you? Promise me you won't try.” “I shall only want to come in the first door.” “What for?” “What for? Oh, for half a second.” She turned away her face. He went on. “This engagement has been such a very public affair, so far, that I think I'd like to see my fiancee alone for a moment.” “I don't know what in the world you can have to say more.” He went into the first door with her, and then he went with her upstairs to the door of Mrs. Pasmer's apartment. The passages of the Cavendish were not well lighted; the little lane or alley that led down to this door from the stairs landing was very dim. “So dark here!” murmured Alice, in a low voice, somewhat tremulous. “But not too dark.” XXV. She burst into the room where her mother sat looking over some housekeeping accounts. His kiss and his name were upon her lips; her soul was full of him. “Mamma!” she panted. Her mother did not look round. She could have had no premonition of the vital news that her daughter was bringing, and she went on comparing the first autumn month's provision bill with that of the last spring month, and trying to account for the difference.