"No, nothing can keep me back now, Ann. Sit down, do."

"Not now, Dear; I'll run away from you, and tell Everett that you will
go to Dryden with us--and I do hope that the weather will be fine!"

Ann tripped out, her heart light with contentment. Her star of happiness
had reached its zenith when Everett Brimbecomb had asked her to be his
wife. Rich in her own right, of the bluest blood in the state, soon to
marry the man who had been her ideal since their childhood days, why
should she not be happy?

After leaving Horace, Ann went to the side window and tapped upon it.
Receiving no response, she lifted the sash and called softly to her
fiancé. Hearing her voice, Everett Brimbecomb appeared at the opposite
window. The girl's heart thrilled with happiness as he smiled upon her.

"Run over a minute, Everett," she called.

"All right, dear heart."

His voice was so vibrantly low and rich that the girl experienced a
feeling of thanksgiving as she stood waiting for him at the door. When
he came, the lovers went into the drawing-room, where a grate fire
burned dim.

"Horace says he'll go to Dryden, Everett," Ann announced, "and I'm so
glad! I thought he might say that he was too busy."

Everett smiled, slipped his arm about the girl's waist, and for a moment
she leaned against him like a frail, sweet flower.