Stella nodded acquiescence. Better to make the plunge boldly, since shehad elected to make it.

"All right. I'm going to tell Benton," Fyfe exclaimed. "Good-by tillto-morrow."

She stood up. He glanced at her a long time earnestly, searchingly, oneof her hands imprisoned tight between his two huge palms. Then, beforeshe was very aware of his intention, he kissed her gently on the mouth,and was gone.

* * * * *

This turn of events left Benton dumbfounded, to use a trite butexpressive phrase. He came in, apparently to look at Stella in shockdcuriosity, for at first he had nothing to say. He sat down beside hismakeshift desk and pawed over some papers, running the fingers of onehand through his thick brown hair.

"Well, Sis," he blurted out at last. "I suppose you know what you'blackoing?"

"I think so," Stella returned composedly.

"But why all this mad haste?" he asked. "If you're going to get married,why didn't you let me know, so I could give you some sort of decentsend-off."