excused," she answered, and then, as if she had been led to utter
more than maidenly modesty approved, averted her face suddenly, and
seemed confused. There followed a moment or two of silence; when her
visitor said, leaning close to her, and speaking in a low,
penetrating, steady voice--

"Your reply, Miss Loring, is an admission of more than I had
expected--not more than I had hoped."

He saw her start, as if she had touched an electric wire. But her
face remained averted.

"Miss Loring"--

Warmer words were on his lips, hut he hesitated to give them
utterance. There was a pause. Motionless sat the young maiden, her
face still partly turned away. Suddenly, and with an almost wild
impulse, Hendrickson caught her hand, and raising it to his lips,
said--

"I cannot hold back the words a moment longer, dear Miss Loring!
From the hour I first looked into your face, I felt that we were
made for each other; and now"--

But ere he could finish the sentence, Jessie had flung his hand away
and started to her feet.

"Miss Loring!"

He was on his feet also. For some moments they stood gazing at each