fallen tree, where, with a gesture of disgust, she tore off her hapless
duster and flung it on the ground. She then sat down sobbing, but after
a moment dried her eyes hurriedly and started to her feet. A few paces
distant, erect, noiseless, with outstretched hand, the young solitary
of the Carquinez Woods advanced towards her. His hand had almost touched
hers, when he stopped.

"What has happened?" he asked gravely.

"Nothing," she said, turning half away, and searching the ground with
her eyes, as if she had lost something. "Only I must be going back now."

"You shall go back at once, if you wish it," he said, flushing slightly.
"But you have been crying; why?"

Frank as Miss Nellie wished to be, she could not bring herself to
say that her feet hurt her, and the dust and heat were ruining her
complexion. It was therefore with a half-confident belief that
her troubles were really of a moral quality that she answered,
"Nothing--nothing, but--but--it's wrong to come here."

"But you did not think it was wrong when you agreed to come, at our
last meeting," said the young man, with that persistent logic which
exasperates the inconsequent feminine mind. "It cannot be any more wrong
to-day."

"But it was not so far off," murmured the young girl, without looking
up.

"Oh, the distance makes it more improper, then," he said abstractedly;