“I must see Beatrice,” repeated Catherine.  “It’s important.  I’ve come here on purpose.”

“Well, my love, you and Bee are always great friends.  You haven’t a worrying way with you.  She’s in the rose-arbor.  You can find her, child.  You walk straight down that path, and then turn to your left.”

Catherine did not wait another instant.  She had the quick and graceful motions of a young fawn, and when she reached Beatrice her eager face was so full of light and excitement that the other girl sprang to her feet, her unopened book tumbled to the floor, and in one moment the two friends had their arms round each other.

They did not kiss.  This was not the moment for outward expressions of affection.  They looked at one another, then Catherine said: 

“Well, Beatrice?” and, taking her friend’s hand, she sat down by her.

“You know what happened this morning, Catherine?” said Beatrice, looking at her sadly.

“Yes, I know.  I have come about that.  Loftus came home, and he told mother.  I heard him talking to her, and I heard mother crying; I came into the room then, for I cannot bear the sound of my mother’s sobs when she is in distress, and she at once looked up when she heard nay step, and she said: 

“’It is all hopeless, Catherine; Beatrice Meadowsweet will not marry Loftus.’

“‘Nay, mother,’ interrupted Loftus, ’there’s a chance for me, she has consented to see me again to-morrow.’

“I flew up to mother when Loftus had done speaking, and I knelt by her and looked into her face and said, ’You make my heart beat so hard, I never, never thought of this.’  Mother went on moaning to herself.  She did not seem to care about me nor to notice that I was with her.

“‘It was my last hope,’ she said; ’the only chance to avert the trouble, and it is over.’

“She went on saying that until I really thought she was almost light-headed.  At last Loftus beckoned me out of the room.

“’What is it, Loftus, what is wrong?” I asked.

“‘Poor mother,’ he replied; ’she loves Beatrice, and she had set her heart on this.  Her nerves are a good deal shaken lately.  Poor mother! she has had a more troubled life than you can guess about, Catherine.’

“‘Loftie,’ I answered, ‘I have long guessed, I have long feared.’

“‘If I could win Beatrice,’ said Loftus, ’my mother should never have another ache nor pain.’

“Then he went back into mother’s room, and I stayed outside and thought.  After a time I resolved to come to you.  No one knows that I am here.”

“What have you come for, Catherine?” asked Beatrice.

“I have come to know what you mean to do.  When you see Loftus to-morrow what will you say to him?”

“What would you say, Catherine?  If you did not love a man at all, if he was absolutely nothing to you, would you give yourself to him?  Yourself?  That means all your life, all your days, your young days, your middle-aged years, your old age, always, till death parts you.  Would you do that, Catherine?  Speak for yourself; would you?”