"What has happened, Barton? Did you go to anybody's house? Whom did
you see?"

"No; I went to the pond, and met the Doctor and Uncle Jonah, and
Theodore came home with me."

"Did you meet Julia Markham anywhere?"

"I did; she was going home from Coe's by the old road, and I went out
of the woods with her."

A long, hard-drawn breath from his mother, who saw that he took her
question like a stab.

"It is no matter, mother. It had to be over some time."

"Barton! you don't mean, Barton--"

"I do, just that, mother," steadily. "She was kinder in her scorn than
she meant. It was what I needed."

"Her scorn! her scorn, Barton!"

"Yes, her scorn, mother," decidedly and firmly.

"You must have talked and acted foolishly, Barton."

"I did talk and act foolishly, and I take the consequences."