"You really care to hear all this, don't you?" he asked, happily, and went on before she could do more than nod. "Well, the short of it is that through Doctor Forester I got to know a friend of his who is a railroad magnate--the real thing--and to please the doctor he seemed to take an interest in me. He's offered me a position in one of his offices, provided I take a year to study practical railroading first. Of course I'm only too glad to do that. And now I'm coming to the point of the whole thing. When my year is up, that office where I'm to begin to work up in the railroad business is"--he paused dramatically, watching his hearer's face, as his own, in spite of himself, broke into a smile--"in your own city, Evelyn Lee!" If he had had any lingering doubt that this might not be as good news to Evelyn as he wanted it to be, his fears were put to rout. "O Jeff!" she said, quite breathlessly, and the happy colour surged into her face. "Why, that's almost too good to be true!" "Is it? You're a trump for saying so. Jupiter! I feel like standing up and shouting. The thing has been sure since that afternoon I went to Weston, but I didn't mean to tell you of it in this crazy boy fashion, but write it to you quite calmly after you got home. But--it wouldn't keep." "I shouldn't think it would. Besides, it's so much nicer to hear it now, when it makes it----" She stopped abruptly, and jumped up. Jeff leaped to his feet also. "Makes it--what?" he asked, eagerly. "Why--it's such a pleasant place to hear good news in." "That wasn't what you were going to say." "We ought to go back to the house." She began to move slowly away. Jeff followed. "I'd like to hear the end of that sentence," he urged, as they walked up the grassy slope to the house in the clear sunlight. She laughed a little, but shook her head. She was looking very sweet in her brown travelling dress, her russet hair shaded by a wide brown hat with captivating curving outlines. Jeff looked at her dainty profile and realised that the hour for separation was coming fast. "Anyhow, I know what I _wish_ you were going to say,"--he was striding close by her side--"and I can certainly say it if you can't. Telling you that I'm coming to work near you next year makes it easier for me to say good-by now. And that's--well--that's going to be a bit tough." Evelyn walked on a few steps in silence. Then she turned and spoke softly over her shoulder. There was not a touch of coquetry in her simple manner, yet it had an engaging quality all its own. "That's what I wanted to say, Jeff." "Thank you," he responded. "I'll not forget that," and his tone told that he appreciated the little concession.