"Perhaps we could find a pair in the village that you could wear." "It is not necessary. I will ride rapidly; the exercise will be the best safeguard." "Do you know why I have come back?" he said, abandoning the subject of the shoes. "I do not," answered the lady. She looked very sad and weary. "I have come back, Katharine, to tell you plainly and humbly that I love you. This time I make no conditions; I have none to make. Do with me as you please; I must bear it. But believe that I love you with all my heart. It has been against my will; I have not been willing to admit it to myself; but of late the certainty has forced itself upon me so overwhelmingly that I had no resource left save to come to you. I am full of faults; but--I love you. I have said many things that displeased you deeply; but--I love you. Do not deliberate. Send me away--if go I must--now. Keep me--if you will keep me--now. You can punish me afterwards." They had been walking onward, but now he stopped. She stopped also; but she said nothing; her eyes were downcast. "It is a real love I offer you," he said, in a low tone. Then, as still she did not speak, "I will make you very happy, Katharine," he added. Her face had remained pale, but at this assertion of his a slight color rose, and a smile showed itself faintly. "You are always so sure!" she murmured. And then she laughed, a little low, sweet, sudden laugh. "Let him laugh who wins," said Ford, triumphantly. The old streaked stone wall, if dreary, was at least high; no one saw him but one very wet and bedraggled little bird, who was in the tree above. This bird was so much cheered (it must have been that) that he immediately chirruped one note quite briskly, and coming out on a drier twig, began to arrange his soaked feathers. "Now," said Ford, "we will have those shoes dried, whether you like it or not. No more imprudence allowed. How angry you were when I said we might find a pair in the village that you could wear! Of course I meant children's size." He had drawn her hand through his arm, and was going towards the gate. But she freed herself and stopped. "It is all a mistake," she said, hurriedly. "It means nothing. I am not myself to-day. Do not think of it." "Certainly I shall not trouble myself to think of it much when--what is so much better--I have it." "No; it is nothing. Forget it. I shall not see you again. I am going back to America immediately--next week." He looked at her as she uttered these short sentences. Then he took her hands in his. "I know about the loss of your fortune, Katharine; you need not tell me. No, Sylvia did not betray you. I heard it quite by chance from another source while I was still in Heidelberg. That is the reason I came."