Near the house, partly shaded by a friendly apple-tree, was a bench,
where Vital often sat. When they reached it, Katie let go of his arm
and seated herself upon it.

"She wants to be alone until she can compose herself to go into the
house," he thought, and was hurrying away, when she called to him. He
retraced his steps and stood before her.

"Sit down, Vital."

This time he had not made a mistake; there was something in the tone
of her voice which made him tremble with happiness. Willingly he
obeyed the invitation.

For a few moments she sat and twined her fingers together nervously.
She knew how dear she was to him, and wanted to make amends.

"I have been very cruel to you to-night, Vital," she began in a low,
uneven tone.

Wrathfully he began to deny such an outrageous statement.

"I thought you would like to know," she continued, falteringly, when
his indignation had somewhat subsided, "that you are mistaken in that
about Zotique and me; we are not engaged. I--I--told him, no." It was
hard to tell him this; but she had treated him so very badly and had
taken such an unfair advantage of his trusting nature.

The sudden relief from the restraint he had borne so long made him
lose command of himself altogether. He sprang quickly to his feet, and