moment, while the world swam about her and her heart stood still, she lay unresisting, helpless. Then he released her and leaped to his feet.

“My God!” he cried in a whisper, staring at her, incredulous. “Can you ever forgive me? I was crazy, mad—I did not know what I was doing! Billee, go! Leave me and never come back! I deserve it!” He was trembling from head to foot. She arose with slow dignity, her face very pale, and tidied her slightly disarranged dress, her eyes timidly searching the perspective ahead, and lips quivering. There was but one couple in view and their backs were turned.

“King,” she said, “you must promise me you’ll never do that again; you must, King, or I shall have to leave you and not return.”

“I swear it! Never until you lay your head on my breast, of your own free will!” But presently she turned and faced him bravely, her eyes again on his. A new note was in her voice. She seemed older.

“King, I can’t bear to see you look unhappy; and I am not a hypocrite. I forgive you, because—I am glad you kissed me, just once—and in that way. Now, I do not doubt—”

“You cannot doubt—”

“I do not doubt myself! King, my splendid boy—oh, this is shameful!” She choked, covered her eyes with one hand, stretched the other blindly toward him, but before he could take it, was gone. He stood as she left him, looking down the vista through which she fled, but seeing nothing. Presently he pressed the back of one hand to his eyes and then examined it in wonder.

“Oh Terence! Terence! what would you give to see that! You’d blackmail me fifty years.”

 Chapter V

Chapter V

THE next note reached King four days after his meeting with Billee in the Museum. The four days had seemed four years. It would be untrue to say that the mystery of it all did not continue to wear on him in the hours when he should have been sleeping, but the Southerner is born and dies an optimist, and is usually loyal to his ideals. King’s loyalty refused to entertain a doubt. Who could doubt Billee’s eyes? The note came as his reward, or so he cheered himself. It appointed a meeting for the afternoon in one of New York’s suburban churches.

“The choir will be rehearsing for Easter, but the church doors will be open and only a few, if any, people in the pews. Go at four 

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