He helped her as she stumbled blindly along the path to the
house, and half lifted her up the steps to the door. They paused
there for a moment. At last he turned from her abruptly in
silence. A step away he halted.

"If you should ever need me--"
"Never as now," she said.

She saw his tall figure pass down the path, and her straining
eyes followed until it was lost in the mild wide spaces of the
night.


Another hot September sun was beating upon the earth as Betty
galloped down the lane and swung her horse's head in the
direction of Raleigh. Her grief had worn itself out and she
carried a pale but resolute face. Carrington was gone; she would
keep her promise to Charley and he should never know what his
happiness had cost her. She nerved herself for their meeting;
somewhere between Belle Plain and Thicket Point Norton would be
waiting for her.

He joined her before she had covered a third of the distance that
separated the two plantations.

"Thank God, my darling!" he cried fervently, as he ranged up
alongside of her.

"Then you weren't sure of me, Charley?"