tears, and still he owned an uneasy suspicion that they were not real.

"I'm so sorry!" she said contritely, after a moment; "I thought I was
helping you so much! I found that stake just streaking it over the top
of the hill. It had got loose and was running away." The mist had
cleared up very suddenly, and the light-tipped sparkles of fun were
chasing each other rapidly, as though impelled by a lively breeze. "I
thought you'd be ever so grateful, and, instead of that, you scold me!
I don't believe I like you a bit!"

She looked him over reflectively, as though making up her mind.

Bennington laughed outright, and scrambled to his feet. "You are
absolutely incorrigible!" he exclaimed, to cover his confusion at his
change of face.

Her eyes fairly danced.

"Oh, what a _lovely_ word!" she cried rapturously. "What _does_ it
mean? Something nice, or I'm sure you wouldn't have said it about me.
_Would_ you?" The eyes suddenly became grave. "Oh, please tell me!" she
begged appealingly.

Bennington was thrown into confusion at this, for he did not know
whether she was serious or not. He could do nothing but stammer and get
red, and think what a ridiculous ass he was making of himself. He might
have considered the help he was getting in that.

"Well, then, you needn't," she conceded, magnanimously, after a moment.
"Only, you ought not to say things about girls that you don't dare tell