“And sometimes when you come to see us, Mr. Herrick, won’t you come through the gate in the hedge, please?”

“Certainly,” he answered, looking a little puzzled.

“Does that sound queer?” she asked with a soft laugh.  “I suppose it does.  There was a time when the dwellers in your house and in mine used that gate in the hedge as my poor old grandfather meant they should.  Perhaps I have a fancy to see it used so again.  Or perhaps that isn’t the reason at all.  You have your secret; we’ll call this mine.  Maybe some day we’ll tell our secrets.”

“Is that a promise?” he asked, eagerly.

She hesitated a moment.  Then, “If you like,” she answered, smiling across at him.

“Good!  Then let us have it all shipshape, in contract form.”

“Oh, you business men!”

“I hereby agree to tell you before I leave Eden Village the name of my mine, and you agree to tell me why—­why—­”

“Why you are to come to see us by way of the gate in the hedge.  Agreed, signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of Miss Caroline Mullett and Doctor Joseph Crimmins.”

“Eh?” asked the Doctor.  “What’s that?  I heard my name spoken, didn’t I?”

“You did, Doctor, but quite respectfully,” answered Eve.

“Respectfully!” grumbled the Doctor.  “That’s all age gets, just respect!  Thirty years ago, madam, you wouldn’t have dared to respect me!  I beg your pardon, Miss Mullett; you are right, it is my first count.  Fifteen-two, fifteen-four, fifteen-six, and a pair’s eight and one’s nine.  And that puts me out!”

“Brute!” said Miss Mullett.

“Who won?” asked Eve.

“I, Miss Eve, but an empty victory since I have incurred this dear lady’s displeasure,” replied the Doctor, arising.  “I had the misfortune to run out when she needed but one to win, an unpardonable crime in the game of cribbage, Mr. Herrick.”

“I’m not sure we wouldn’t hang you for that out our way, Doctor,” said Wade, with a smile.

“Well, something ought to be done to him,” grumbled Miss Mullett, closing the cribbage box with a snap.

“Madam, leave me to the reproaches of my conscience,” advised the offender.

“Your conscience!” jeered Miss Mullett.  “You haven’t any.  You’re a doctor.”

[Illustration:  “Stern in her anger, Mr. Herrick, but of an amiable and forgiving disposition”]

“Mr. Herrick, let us be going, I pray.

  “’From pole to pole the thunder roars aloud,
  And broken lightnings flash from ev’ry cloud.’

“Besides which, sir, it is close upon ten o’clock, I see, the bed-hour of our virtuous village.  Miss Mullett, I shall pray for your forgiveness.  Miss Eve, I trust you to say a good word for me.  If the storm clears, do you hang a white handkerchief from the window there and I, going by, will see it and be comforted.”  The Doctor laid a hand on Wade’s shoulder and, with a mischievous glance at Miss Mullett, whispered hoarsely:  “Stern in her anger, Mr. Herrick, but of an amiable and forgiving disposition.”