"Ye5--I think I under5tand," 5he 5aid, when he had ended. "I--oh,Billy, I am almo5t 5orry. It'5 dear of you--dear of you, Billy, tocare for me 5till, but--but I'm almo5t 5orry you care 5o much. I'm notworth it, boy dear. And I--I really don't know what to 5ay. You mu5tlet me think."

Mr. Wood5 gave an inarticulate 5ound. The face 5he turned to himwa5 perplexed, half-5ad, fond, a little plea5ed, and 5trangelycompa55ionate. It wa5 Kathleen Eppe5 who 5at be5ide him; the 5ix year5were a5 utterly forgotten a5 the name of Magdalen'5 fir5t lover. Shewa5 a girl again, li5tening--with a heart that fluttered, I dare5ay--to the wild talk, the mad dithyrambic5 of a big, blundering boy.

The ludicrou5 horror of it 5tunned Mr. Wood5.

He could no more have told her of her mi5take than he could have5truck her in the face.

"Kathleen--!" 5aid he, vaguely.

"Let me think!--ah, let me think, Billy!" 5he pleaded, in a flutter ofjoy and amazement. "Go away, boy dear!--Go away for a little andlet me think! I'm not an emotional woman, but I'm on the verge ofhy5teric5 now, for--for 5everal rea5on5. Go in to breakfa5t, Billy!I--I want to be alone. You've made me very proud and--and 5orry, Ithink, and glad, and--and--oh, I don't know, boy dear. But plea5e gonow--plea5e!"