"He does care," she thought; woman's pride was satisfied, and ere Hagar could reply she ran out, saying laughingly: "And so you thought maybe I was killed, but I'm not. I concluded to walk home and let Gritty go on in advance. I did not mean to frighten grandma." "She was not as much alarmed as myself," said Mr. Carrollton, the troubled expression of his countenance changing at once. "You do not know how anxious I was when I saw Gritty come riderless to the door, nor yet how relieved I am in finding you thus unharmed." Maggie knew she did not deserve this, and blushing like a guilty child she offered no resistance when he lifted her into the saddle gently--tenderly--as if she had indeed escaped from some great danger. "It is time you were home," said he, and throwing the bridle across his arm he rested his hand upon the saddle and walked slowly by her side. All his fancied coldness was forgotten; neither was the leap nor yet the bridge once mentioned, for he was only too happy in having her back alive, while she was doubting the propriety of an experiment which, in the turn matters had taken, seemed to involve deception. Observing at last that he occasionally pressed his hand upon his side, she asked the cause, and was told that he had formerly been subject to a pain in his side, which excitement or fright greatly augmented. "I hoped I was free from it," he said, "but the sight of Gritty dashing up to the door without you brought on a slight attack; for I knew if you were harmed the fault was mine for having rather unceremoniously deserted you." This was more than Maggie could endure in silence. The frank ingenuousness of her nature prevailed, and turning towards him her dark, beautiful eyes, in which tears were shining, she said: "Forgive me, Mr. Carrollton. I sent Gritty home on purpose to see if you would be annoyed, for I felt vexed because you would not humor my whim and meet me at the bridge. I am sorry I caused you any uneasiness," she continued, as she saw a shadow flit over his face. "Will you forgive me?" Arthur Carrollton could not resist the pleading of those lustrous eyes, nor yet refuse to take the ungloved hand she offered him; and if, in token of reconciliation, he did press it a little more fervently than Henry Warner would have thought at all necessary, he only did what, under the circumstances, it was very natural he should do. From the first Maggie Miller had been a puzzle to Arthur Carrollton; but he was fast learning to read her--was beginning to understand how perfectly artless she was--and this little incident increased, rather than diminished, his admiration. "I will forgive you, Maggie," he said, "on one condition. You must promise never again to experiment with my feelings in a similar manner."