in two years."

It required all the young soldier's will power to keep silent
on the one subject uppermost in his mind. And even Dick realized
that some very trivial circumstance was likely to unseat his firm
resolve.

What he was trying to act up to was his sense of fairness. Hard
as it was under the circumstances, he was more anxious to be fair
to this girl than to any other living being.

"I mustn't spoil her afternoon, just because my own mind is so
dizzy!" he thought reproachfully.

So, a moment later, he became merrier than ever---on the surface.

It was Laura's turn to take a covert look at his face. She wondered,
for she felt that Prescott's assumed gayety had an almost feverish
note.

"How much further are you going to drive?" she asked presently.

"The only pleasure I recognize in the matter, Laura, is yours.
So I am wholly at your command."

He tried to answer lightly and gallantly, yet felt, an instant
later, that his words had had a strained sound.

The same thought had struck the girl.