A MONTH later he hurried home one day from work. It was Saturday noon, and a half-holiday for him.

She was finishing her luncheon. The light in the half-darkened dining-room seemed to him mysterious and cool as he came in from the street outside.

She looked up in surprise. “You are home early!”

He glanced at her plate. “Through luncheon?”

“Almost—Do you want something?”

“No. I’ve had mine—Let’s go off somewhere!”

In ten minutes she was ready and they left the house. He tucked the key in his vest pocket and they hurried across the lawn to catch an outgoing car.

As he passed the oak-tree he glanced at it with a knowing smile. He might almost have been said to wag his head at it. And he patted the pocket where the key lay.... Close beside the key were five round golden disks—little yellow disks that might at any minute turn into great gold dragons.

They left the car at a fork in the road and were in the open country; they climbed a high hill, and a hill behind the high hill, and came out at last upon a bluff overlooking miles of country.

She took off her hat and sat down with a happy sigh, lifting her face to the breeze that came across the hill.

“Isn’t it good!”

He nodded, without speaking. His eyes were on the mountains in the distance. His heart was talking to five gold coins that lay just over it and caused it to beat in a jolly happy rhythm.

He put out a hand and touched hers.

“Something nice has happened today!” he said.

She turned her eyes to him.

“I think this is pretty nice!” Her hand swept all the reach of space about them.

“Guess,” he said teasingly.

“Something we want?”

“Of course. More than anything in the world,” he said after a minute.

She turned her eyes on him gravely. She looked at him a full minute. “How do you know that?” she said softly.

“I know.” He moved nearer to her, and they watched the light change and sweep in great shadows across the fields below. “You want it—more than anything in the world,” he said, speaking slowly. “I knew you did—when I took it for the lot.”

She patted the hand that lay beside her own.

“I did not want it—not so very much,” she said. “Anyway, I wanted the lot more.... And, besides, I’ve been so busy getting ready for Annabel——”

“Getting ready for William Archer,” he corrected gravely.

“Getting ready for Annabel—” she pursued, “that I have not had time to think about things—just things for myself.”

“This is not just for yourself—it is for me, too.”

She turned a startled, half-questioning look at him.

He nodded gayly, watching her face. “Did you think I didn’t want that Chinese coat?”

“Oh, did you?” Her face had flushed like a child’s. “I thought I was—just silly about it!”

“So you were. That’s why I wanted it for you.... But, of course, it was sensible to get the lot.”

“Of course!” Her assent was wholehearted and happy.

“So now we’re going to get the coat, too—to-day. I had some money come in”—he patted his pocket—“and there’s enough.”

“It may be gone—!” she said quickly.

“Don’t think so. I sent over word. They’ve got a Chinese coat.”

“Oh, I hope it is the same one—!” She breathed a happy sigh.

“We ought to go right away!” She started up.

“Time enough.” He spoke lazily. “I told them to hold it—till five o’clock.” He took out his watch. “Two hours. Plenty of time.”

She sank back. Presently she looked at him.

“I never guessed how much I wanted it! I did not know!"—after a little pause—"I think I did not let myself know.”

Then they talked for a while about Annabel--whose name was William Archer, he pointed out to her....

And they laid plans that ran far ahead into the future—almost till Annabel was an old lady and lonely—only she would have married by that time--and there would be other Annabels.... It seemed to stretch away infinitely.

It was all wonderful—and mysterious. She turned and buried her face in the moss for a long time and was very quiet.

And overhead a great bird passed by. Richard watched the circling flight.

She patted her hair and began to pin on her hat.

He watched her, smiling gravely.

“Now we will go and buy the coat,” he said—“that wonderful Chinese coat—blue and gold, I think you said, my dear—with the great gold dragons on it!”

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