Now that her happiness seemed assured, however, she sighed over
Roger so often and remorsefully that at last Arnold said,
"You have some trouble on your mind, Millie?"
"You must not expect to find me a light-hearted girl any more," she replied evasively.
"Well," he said, as he clasped her closely in farewell, "my every waking thought shall now be how best to banish sighs and bring smiles."
That evening, while they were out for a walk, Mildred said to Roger, with a little tremor in her voice, "He's come."
He gave her a swift look, and then he turned as quickly away, but his arm grew rigid under her hand.
"Don't fail me, Roger," she pleaded.
"It's unexpected—I wasn't prepared," he said, in a low tone, and then he was silent. He felt her hand trembling so greatly that he soon mastered himself for her sake. "It's all right, Millie," he said heartily. "Be just as happy as you can."
"How can I be truly happy when you are not?" she sighed.
"Bless your kind heart! do you think I am going to stand off and lower at your happiness like a black cloud? Do you think I'm going to droop, look forlorn and deserted, and heave great sighs in dark corners? By all the powers! if I were capable of such meanness toward you, I'd whip myself worse than I did that fellow Bissel."