“I have no doubt but you will,” replied Philip, “and I don’t blame you in the least if you do.  I have the utmost devotion to offer Elnora, a good home, fair social position, and my family will love her dearly.  Think it over.  I know it is sudden, but my father advised it.”

“Yes, I reckon he did!” said Mrs. Comstock dryly.  “I guess instead of me being the catamount, you had the genuine article up in Chicago, masquerading in peacock feathers, and posing as a fine lady, until her time came to scratch.  Human nature seems to be the same the world over.  But I’d give a pretty to know that secret thing you say you don’t, that set her raving over your just catching a moth for Elnora.  You might get that crock of strawberries in the spring house.”

They prepared and ate supper.  Afterward they sat in the arbour and talked, or Elnora played until time for Philip to go.

“Will you walk to the gate with me?” he asked Elnora as he arose.

“Not to-night,” she answered lightly.  “Come early in the morning if you like, and we will go over to Sleepy Snake Creek and hunt moths and gather dandelions for dinner.”

Philip leaned toward her.  “May I tell you to-morrow why I came?” he asked.

“I think not,” replied Elnora.  “The fact is, I don’t care why you came.  It is enough for me that we are your very good friends, and that in trouble, you have found us a refuge.  I fancy we had better live a week or two before you say anything.  There is a possibility that what you have to say may change in that length of time.

“It will not change one iota!” cried Philip.

“Then it will have the grace of that much age to give it some small touch of flavour,” said the girl.  “Come early in the morning.”

She lifted the violin and began to play.

“Well bless my soul!” ejaculated the astounded Mrs. Comstock.  “To think I was worrying for fear you couldn’t take care of yourself!”

Elnora laughed while she played.

“Shall I tell you what he said?”

“Nope!  I don’t want to hear it!” said Elnora.  “He is only six hours from Chicago.  I’ll give her a week to find him and fix it up, if he stays that long.  If she doesn’t put in an appearance then, he can tell me what he wants to say, and I’ll take my time to think it over.  Time in plenty, too!  There are three of us in this, and one must be left with a sore heart for life.  If the decision rests with me I propose to be very sure that it is the one who deserves such hard luck.”

The next morning Philip came early, dressed in the outing clothing he had worn the previous summer, and aside from a slight paleness seemed very much the same as when he left.  Elnora met him on the old footing, and for a week life went on exactly as it had the previous summer.  Mrs. Comstock made mental notes and watched in silence.  She could see that Elnora was on a strain, though she hoped Philip would not.  The girl grew restless as the week drew to a close.  Once when the gate clicked she suddenly lost colour and moved nervously.  Billy came down the walk.