"I have, Major--I am--I do, but this hunt to-night positively--positively
frightens me. It seemed so--so regardless of consequences--so trivial
and--and inconsequent that--" Phoebe paused and the major was astonished
to see that she was veiling tears with her thick black lashes.

"Phoebe, child," he said as he bent over quickly and laid his hand on
hers, "I ought to have answered you sooner. He is prepared to make the
speech of his life tonight at seven-thirty, but at ten he joins his
friends to hunt. Didn't you draw your conclusions hurriedly--and against
David?"

In a second the tightness in Phoebe's throat relaxed and the tears flowed
back to their source, only one little splash jeweled her cheek that had
flamed into a blush of joy and contrition.

"Ah," she said softly as she drew a deep breath, "I am so
glad--glad!... I must hurry, for I'm an hour late already. Good-by!"

"Good-by, and remember that faith is one of the by-products of affection.
And I might add that the right kind of faith finds tactful ways of--of
admission. Do you see?" And the major held her hand long enough to make
Phoebe look into his kind eyes.

And from the ten minutes in the library of Major Buchanan the
disciplining of the heart of Phoebe Donelson began and was carried on
with utter relentlessness. The first castigation occurred when David
failed to phone her at two o'clock, and a half-hour later Caroline Darrah
called anxiously to know her decision and impart the information that
David had arranged that she and Phoebe go out to the fork in her car with