Shelleyheldupherlips，andthenwent。Irantothebarn，wherethemenwerestandingintheshade，whileLeonledhishorseupanddownbeforethem，toldaboutitspedigree，itsrecord，howhecametohaveit。ThePagetmanstoodtherelookingandlisteninggravely，ashestudiedthehorse。Atlasthewentoverher，andgee！butheknewhorse！ThenLaddiebroughtoutFlosandtheytalkedallabouther，andthenwentintothebarn。Fatheropenedtheeastdoorstoshowhowmuchlandhehad，whichwerehislines；andwhiletheworlddidn’tlookquitesoprettyasithadinMay，stillitwasgoodenough。
Thentheywentintotheorchard，satunderthetreesandbegantalkingaboutbusinessconditions。ThatwassodryIwentbacktothehouse。AndmaybeIdidn’tstrikesomethinginterestingthere！
AsIcameuptheorchardpathtoabackyardgate，Isawacarriageatthehitchingrackinfrontofthehouse，soItookapeepandalmostfellover。ItwastheonethePrincesshadcometoSally’sweddingin；soIknewshewasinthehousevisitingShelley。IwenttotheparlourandthereIhadanothershock；
forloandbehold！inourbigrockingchair，andlookingaswellasanyone，sofarasyoucouldsee——ofcourseyoucan’tseehearttrouble，though——satMrs。Pryor。ThePrincessandmotherwerethere，allofthemtalking，laughingandhavingthebesttime，whileonthedavenportenjoyinghimselfasmuchasanyone，wasMr。Pryor。Theytalkedabouteverything，anditwaseasytoseethatthePryordoorwasOPENsofaraswewereconcerned，anyway。Mrs。Pryorwasjustasniceandfriendlyasshecouldbe，andsowashe。Shelleysatbesidehim，andhepinchedhercheekandsaid：“Somethingseemstomakeyouespeciallybrillianttoday，youngwoman！“
Shelleyflushedredder，laughed，andglancedatmother，soshesaid：“Shelleyishavingaplainold-fashionedcaseofbeau。
ShemetayoungmaninChicagolastfallandhe’sherenowtoaskourconsent。Allofusarequitecharmedwithhim。That’swhyshe’ssohappy。“
ThenthePrincesssprangupandkissedShelley，sodidMrs。
Pryor，whilesuchachatteryouneverheard。Noonecouldrepeatwhattheysaid，forasmanyasthreetalkedatthesametime。
“Ohdolet’shaveadoublewedding！“criedthePrincesswhentheexcitementwasoveralittle。“Ithinkitwouldbegreatfun；dolet’s！Whenareyouplanningfor？“
“Nothingissettledyet，“saidShelley。“We’vehadnotimetotalk！“
“Mercy！“criedthePrincess。“Gomakeyourarrangementsquickly！
Hurryup，thencomeover，andwe’llplanforthesametime。Itwillbesplendid！Don’tyouthinkthatwouldbefine，Mrs。
Stanton？“
“Ican’tseeanyobjectionstoit，“saidmother。
“Whereisyouryoungman？I’mcrazytoseehim，“criedthePrincess。“Ifyouhavegoneandfoundabetterlookingonethanmine，I’llneverspeaktoyouagain。“
“Shehasn’t！“criedMrs。Pryorcalmly，likethatsettledit。I
likeher。“They’renotmade！“
“Iamnotsosureofthat，“saidShelleyproudly。“Mother，isn’tmymanquiteasgoodlooking，andasniceineveryway，asLaddie？“
“Fullyashandsome，andsofarascanbeseeninsuchashorttime，quiteasfine，“saidmother。
Iwasperfectlyamazedather；asifanymancouldbe！
“Idon’tbelieveit，Iwon’tstandit，andIshan’tgohomeuntilIhaveseenformyself！“criedthePrincess，laughing，andyetitsoundedasifshewerehalf-provoked，andIknewIwas。ThePagetmanwasallright，butIwasn’tgoingtolosemyheadoverhim。Laddiewasthefinest，ofcourse！
“Well，he’ssomewhereontheplacewithourmen，thisminute，“
saidShelley，“butyoustayforsupper，andmeethim。“
“Whenyouhaven’tyourarrangementsmadeyet！Yousurelyareunselfish！OfcourseIwon’tdothat，butI’dlovetohaveonelittlepeep，thenyoubringhimandcomeoverto-morrow，soallofuscanbecomeacquainted，andindeed，I’mreallyinearnestaboutadoublewedding。“
“Goseewherethemenare，“saidShelleytome。
Iwenttothebackdoor，andtheirheadswerebobbingfardownintheorchard。
“They’reunderthegreeningappletree，“Ireported。
“Ifyouwillexcuseus，“saidShelleytoMr。andMrs。Pryor，“we’llwalkdownafewminutesandprovethatI’mright。“
“Don’tstay，“saidMrs。Pryor。“ThistripissounusualformethatI’mquitetired。Forafirstventure，insuchalongtime，IthinkI’vedonewell。ButnowI’mbeginningtofeelIshouldgohome。“
“Gostraightalong，“saidthePrincess。“I’llwalkacrossthefields，orThomascancomebackafterme。“
SoMr。andMrs。Pryorwentaway，whilethePrincess，Shelley，May，andIwalkedthroughtheorchardtowardthemen。Theywerestandingonthetopofthehilllookingoverthemeadow，andtalkingwithsuchinteresttheydidn’thearusorturnuntilShelleysaid：“Mr。Paget，IwanttopresentyoutoLaddie’sbetrothed——MissPamelaPryor。“
Heswungaround，finishingwhathewassayingasheturned，thePrincesstookaswiftsteptowardhim，then，atthesametime，bothofthemchangedtosolidtombstone，andstoodstaring，andsodidallofus，whilenoonemadeasound。AtlastthePagetmandrewadeep，quiverybreathandsortofshookhimselfashegazedather。
“Why，Pam！“hecried。“DarlingPam，cawnitpossiblybeyou？“
Ifyoueverheardthescreamofarabbitwhentheknivesofareapercutittodeath，whythat’sexactlythewayshecriedout。
Shecoveredhereyeswithherhands。Hedrewbackandsmiled，theredrushedintohisface，andhebegantobealiveagain。
LaddiewenttothePrincessandtookherhands。
“Whatdoesthismean？“hebegged。
Shepulledawayfromhim，andwenttothePagetmanslowly，herbigeyeswildandstrained。
“Robert！“shecried。“Robert！howdidyougethere？Wereyouhuntingus？“
“AllovahEngland，yes，“hesaid。“Notheah！IcameheahtoseeShelley。Butyou？Howdoyouhappentobeinthiscountry？“
“We’velivedonadjoininglandfortwoyears！“
“Youmovedheah！Toescapethepityofourfriends？“
“Fathermoved！MotherandIhadnomeans，andnorefuge。Wewereforced。Weneverbelievedit！OhRobert，wenever——notforaminute！OhRobert，sayyouneverdidit！“
“TryourchawmingcousinEmmetyournextguess！“
“Thatdevil！Ohthatdevil！“
Shecriedoutthathurtwayagain，sohetookhertightinhisarms；butsureaseverLaddiewasmybrother，hewashers，sothatwasallright。Whentheyweretogetheryouwonderedwhyinthisworldyouhadn’tthoughtofittheinstantyousawhimalone。Theywerelikeastwopeas。Theytalkedexactlythesame，onlyhesoundedmuchmoreso，probablyfromhavingjustbeeninEnglandforweeks，whileintwoyearsshehadgrownalittleaswewere。Wegazedatthem，open-mouthed，likeasnot，andnoonesaidaword。
AtlastMr。PagetlookedoverthePrincess’shoulderatfatherandsaid：“Icanexplainthis，Mr。Stanton，inaveryfewwuds。
Iammyfriend。Thecasewasmyown。TheevidenceIsecuahedwasformyself。Thisismyonlysisteh。Hehpeoplearemine——“
“Therelationshipisapparent，“saidfather。“Thereisastrikinglikenessbetweenyouandyoursister，andIcandiscerntracesofyourparentsinyourface，speechandmanner。“
“Ifyouknowmyfather，“saidRobert，“thenyouundehstandwhathappenedtomewhenIwasfoundwithhismoneyonmypehson，inthepresenceofourbestfriendsandthepolice。Hewentravinginsaneontheinstant，andhewouldhavekilledmeifhehadn’tbeenprevented；hetriedto；hashechangedanysince，Pam？“
ThePrincesswasclingingtohimwithbothhands，staringathim，wonder，joy，andfearallonherlovelyface。
“Worse！“shecried。“He’smuchworse！Thelongerhebroods，themoremothergrieves，thebittererhebecomes。Mr。Stanton，heisalwaysarmed。He’llshootonsight。Ohwhatshallwedo？“
“MissPamela，“saidLeon，“didyourmanThomasknowyourbrotherinEngland？“
“Allhislife。“
“Well，then，we’dbetterbedoingsomethingquick。Hetiedthehorsesandwaswalkingupanddowntheroadwhilehewaited，andhesawusplainlywhenwecrossedthewoodyardawhileago。Hefollowedusandstaredso，Icouldn’thelpnoticinghim。“
“Jove！“criedRobert。“Imusthaveseenhiminthevillagethismorning。Amanremindedmeofhim，thenIrememberedhowlikepeopleofhistypeare，andconcludedIwasmistaken。Mr。
Stanton，youhaveagreedthattheevidenceIholdissufficient。
PamcawntellyouthatwhileIdon’tdenybeingfulloftricksasaboy，theywehnotdirty，notlow，andwhilefatheralwaystakingEmmet’spahtagainstmedrovemetorecklessnesssometimes，Inevahdidanythingunderhandordisgraceful。SheknowswhatprovocationIhad，andexactlywhathappened。Lethehtellyou！“
“Idon’tfeelthatIrequireanyfurtherinformation，“saidfather。“Yousee，IhappentobefairlywellacquaintedwithMr。
Pryor。“
“Pryor？“
“Hemadeususethatnamehere，“explainedthePrincess。
“WELL，HISNAMEISPAGET！“saidRobertangrily。
Laddietoldmelongagohedidn’tbelieveitwasPryor。
“Then，ifyouareacquaintedwithmyfather，whatwouldyoucounsel？UnlessI’mprepahedtofurnishthecentralfigyahofinterestinafuneral，Idarenotmeethim，untilhehasseenthisevidence，hadtimetodigestit，andcalmhimself。“
Shelleycaughthimbythearm。Nowonder！Shehadn’tbeenproposedto，orevenhadakissonherlips。Shepulledhim。
“Youcomestraighttothehouse，“shesaid。“Thomasmaytellyourfatherhethoughthesawyou。“
Thatwasaboutasseriousasanythingcouldbe，butnothingeverstoppedLeon。Hesidledawayfromfather，repeatinginalowvoice：
“`Forsoredismayed，throughstormandshadeHischildhediddiscover；
Onelovelyhandshestretchedforaid，Andonewasroundherlover——’“
Shelleyjustlookeddaggersathim，butshewastooanxioustowasteanytime。
“WouldThomastellyourfather？“sheaskedthePrincess。
“Theinstanthesawhimalone，yes。Hewouldn’tbeforemother。“
“Holdoneminute！“criedfather。“Wemustthinkofourmother，justalittle。Shelley，youandthegirlsrunupandexplainhowthisis。Betterallofyougotothehouse，exceptMr。Paget。
He’llbesafehereasanywhere。Mr。Pryorwillstopthere，ifhecomes。Soitwouldbebestforyoutokeepoutofsight，Robert，untilIhavehadalittletalkwithhim。“
“I’llstayhere，“Ioffered。“We’lltalkuntilyougetMr。Pryorcooledoff。Hecanbeawfulragesomewhenhe’sexcited，anditdoesn’ttakemuchtostarthim。“
“You’rerightaboutthat！“agreedRobert。
SowesatunderthegreeningandwerehavingafinevisitwhiletheotherswenttobreakthenewsgentlytomotherthatthePryormysteryhadgoneuphigherthanGilderoy’skite。My！butshe’dbeglad！Itwouldsavehermanyapowerfulprayer。IwastellingRobertallaboutthetimehisfathervisitedus，andwhatmymothersaidtohim，andhesaid：“She’dbetheonetotalkwithhimnow。Possiblyhe’dlistentoher，untilhegotitthroughhisheadthathisownsonisnotacommonthief。“
“Maybehe’llhavetobeheld，liketakingquinine，andmadetolisten，“Isaid。
“Thatwouldbeeasy，ifhewerenotawalkingahsenal，“saidRobert。“Youhavesmallchancetoreasonwithahalf-crazymanwhileheishandlingapistol。“
Hemeantrevolver。
“Buthe’llshoot！“Icried。“ThePrincesssaidhe’dshoot！“
“Sohewill！“saidRobert。“Shootfirst，thenfindouthowthingsare，andkillhimselfandeveryoneelsewithremorse，afterward。Heismadethatway。“
“Thenhedoesn’tdareseeyouuntilhefindsouthowmistakenhehasbeen，“Isaid，forIwasgrowingtolikeRobertbettereveryminutelongerIknewhim。Besides，therewasthePrincess，lookinglikehimaspossible，andlovinghimofcourse，likeI
didLaddie，maybe。AndifanythingcouldcureMrs。Pryor’shearttrouble，havinghersonbackwould，becausethatwaswhatmadeitinthefirstplace，andevenbeforethem，therewasShelleytobethoughtof，andcaredfor。