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。