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“No, never mind that; you called me that to-day, already, at the top of your voice, too.”

“You scared me stiff–Jean.”

“You scared me first–before I knew it was Flukes. You are an awfully reckless boy.”

“I will go on,” said Willy; “it’s short.” He read:

“‘Dear Jean, I forgot to say one thing yesterday when I asked you to marry me; I love and adore you. Yours very sincerely, William Godfrey Butler.'”

He said nothing more; neither did she say anything for a space. The squirrels watched them with their bright little eyes, and scampered fearlessly up the very tree under which their car had halted. All at once she began to laugh. “My word! but you look miserable, William Butler. I know it is a sacrifice; I made up my mind to release you; I only consented yesterday to make you easy in your mind for the game.”

Then he surprised her. “That was yesterday,” said he. “To-day I know why all the world has been different ever since I saw you; I knew everything I felt when you ran to that dog–“

“Then it will not be an awful sacrifice for you?”

He took her little cold brown hand; I had forgotten there was such a thing in the world as fear. “It will be heaven for me,” he said. “But for you?”

She looked away at the squirrels; she tried in vain to speak in her gay, light tone. “I–I found out something this morning, too.”

So Arcady lured two new explorers, who, going through its subtly winding paths, naturally took quite a little while to reach the club-house and the ovation waiting the champion. Just outside the portals Lady Jean uttered a little cry. “Why, I do believe! Why, Willy ! There’s the motor mower!”

There in the body, resting amid long lines of green stubble, there, indeed, stood the long-sought mower.

“I’m obliged to it,” said Willy, “but I don’t need it now.”