“You never saw such a fellow, he just won’t wait;” and consequently her place in the library would be vacant.  “Now, you must have it, Maud!  I haven’t told a soul.  Even the Doctor don’t know it yet.”

Maud left the library and walked up the avenue with an easier mind.  She had an excuse for her visit now, and need not broach, unless she liked, the tremendous subject that made her turn hot and cold to think of.  She went rustling up the wide thoroughfare at a quick pace; but before arriving at Farnham’s, moved by a momentary whim, she turned down a side street leading to Bishop’s Lane.  She said to herself, “I will go in by that little gate once, if I never do again.”  As she drew near, she thought, “I hope Sam isn’t there.”

Sam was there, just finishing his work upon the greenhouse.  Farnham was there also; he had come down to inspect the job, and he and Sleeny were chatting near the gate as Maud opened it and came in.  Farnham stepped forward to meet her.  The unexpected rencounter made her shy, and she neither spoke to Sam nor looked toward him, which filled him with a dull jealousy.

“Could I have a few moments’ conversation with you, sir?” she asked, with stiff formality.

“Certainly,” said Farnham, smiling.  “Shall we go into the house?”

“Thank you, sir,” she rejoined, severely decorous.  They walked up the garden-path together, and Sam looked after them with an unquiet heart.

She was walking beside Farnham with a stately step, in spite of the scabbard-like narrowness of the dress she wore.  She was nearly as tall as he, and as graceful as a young pine blown to and fro by soft winds.  The carpenter, with his heart heavy with love and longing, felt a bitter sense that she was too fine for him.  They passed into the house, and he turned to his work with a sigh, often dropping his busy hands and looking toward the house with a dumb questioning in his eyes.  After a half hour which seemed endless to him, they reappeared and walked slowly down the lawn.  There was trouble and agitation in the girl’s face, and Farnham was serious also.  As they came by the rose-house, Maud paused and looked up with a sorrowful smile and a question.  Farnham nodded, and they walked to the open door of the long, low building.  He led the way in, and Maud, looking hastily around, closed the door behind them.

“He’s goin’ to give her some more of them roses,” said Sam, explaining the matter to himself.  But he worked for some time with his blond beard on his shoulder in his impatience to see them come out.  At last, he could resist no longer.  He knew a point where he could look through the glass and see whatever was taking place among the roses.  He walked swiftly across the turf to that point.  He looked in and saw Maud, whose back was turned toward him, talking as if she were pleading for her life, while Farnham listened with a clouded brow.  Sleeny stood staring with stupid wonder while Maud laid her hand upon Farnham’s shoulder.  At that moment he heard footsteps on the gravel walk at some distance from him, and he looked up and saw Mrs. Belding approaching.  Confused at his attitude of espionage, he walked away from his post, and, as he passed her, Mrs. Belding asked him if he knew where Mr. Farnham was.