"I never was so happy!" cried Laura almost hysterically. Giving the girl a push, she exclaimed impatiently: "For Heaven's sake, girl, go get something! Don't stand there looking at me. I want you to hurry." Thus admonished, Annie ran helter-skelter in the direction of her mistress' room. "I'll bring out all de fluffy ones first," she cried as she disappeared. "Yes, everything!" cried Laura, who was on her knees busy laying the things neatly away in the trunk. Presently the maid returned laden with an armful of dresses and a hat-box. The box she placed on the floor, the dresses on top of the trunk. Going out again for more, she asked: "Yuh goin' to take dat opera cloak?" "Yes, everything--everything!" answered Laura, breathless from the speed at which she was working. Annie reentered with more dresses. There seemed no end to them, each more beautiful and costly than the other. The maid put them on the sofa; then, picking up the opera cloak, she laid it out on top of the dresses in the trunk. Even the humble colored menial was spellbound by the beauty of these adjuncts of feminine loveliness. "My, but dat's a beauty! I jest love dat crushed rosey one." Laura looked up impatiently. The girl's chatter made her nervous. Sharply, she said: "Annie, go and put the best dresses on the foot of the bed. I'll get them myself. You heard what I said?" The girl ran. She stood in awe of her mistress when she was in ill-humor. "Yassum!" While the negress was in the inner room taking the garments from the cupboards, Laura continued busily arranging the contents of the trunk, placing garments here, and some there, sorting them out. While she was thus engaged, with her back to the door, the door leading to the outer corridor opened, and Brockton appeared. He entered quietly, without disturbing Laura, and for a minute or two stood watching her in silence. Then, suddenly, he said: "Going away?" Startled, Laura jumped up and confronted him. "Yes," she said, with some confusion. "In somewhat of a hurry, I should say," he said dryly. "Yes." "What's the plan?" he inquired. "I'm just going--that's all," she said calmly. "Madison been here?" he asked in the same even tone. "He's just left," she answered. "Of course you are going with him?" "Yes." "West?" "To Nevada." "Going--er--to get married?" he demanded. "Yes, this afternoon." He looked at her keenly, and said significantly: "So he didn't care then?" Flushing, she flared up: "What do you mean, when you say 'He didn't care'?" "Of course you told him about the letter, and how it was burned up, and all that sort of thing, didn't you?" "Why, yes," she replied, averting her eyes. "And he said it didn't make any difference?" "He--he didn't say anything. We're just going to be married, that's all." "Did you mention my name, and say that we'd been--rather companionable for the last two months?" "I told him--you'd been--a very good friend to me."