Harold was in no mood for cigars, and, declining Tom's offer, sauntered awhile around the grounds, where he found himself constantly expecting to find the dead girl sitting under a tree waiting for him with the light whose meaning he now knew kindling in her beautiful eyes as she bade him welcome. He was glad now that he had not written and told her of her mistake, and he felt in his heart a greater tenderness for the Maude dead than he ever could have felt for the Maude living.
It was beginning to grow dark when he returned to the house, where he found Jerrie in the hall ready to go home. Arthur was at her side, with his arm thrown lovingly around her, and as he passed her over to Harold, he said:
"Make the most of her to-night, my boy, for to-morrow she comes home to stay."
For a time Harold and Jerrie walked on in silence, but when they reached the four pines, Jerrie halted suddenly and said:
"Let us sit down, Harold. I have a message from Maude, which I promised to deliver the first time we were alone together after you came home."
Jerrie's voice trembled a little, and after they were seated she was silent until Harold said to her:
"You were going to tell me of Maude;" then she started and replied:
"Yes; she wanted so much to see you and tell you herself. I don't know what she meant, but she said she had made a mistake, and I must tell you so, and that you would understand it. She had been thinking and thinking, she said, and knew it was a stupid blunder of hers; that was what she called it—a stupid blunder; and she was sorry for you that she had made it, and bade me say so, and tell you no one knew but herself and you. Dear little Maude! I wish she had not died."
Jerrie was crying, and perhaps that was the reason she did not mind when Harold put his arm around her and drew her so close to him that his brown hair touched her golden curls, while the pines moaned and sighed above them for a moment, and then grew still, as if listening for what Harold would say.
"Yes," he began slowly, "I think I know what Maude meant by the mistake. Did she say I must tell you what it was?"