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THE BOND
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want to go now, this morning, and stay several days. I must get away somewhere."

"Why—what's the matter?—oh!" A shadow came over his face, his eyes softened into tenderness.

"You're still worrying?" he said gently, and came and knelt beside her chair.

"I want to go away," repeated Teresa, her eyes cast down, pulling on her gloves nervously. "Let us go to that little place where we lunched the other day, and stay two or three days—will you?"

"Of course I will—anything in the world you want, dearest."

"And by that time I shall know, I suppose, and——"

"No, no, don't worry about it. I don't believe it is that. Come—we can catch the twelve o'clock train, and be out there in time for lunch."

"We must stop and tell Mary, and get a bag or so. We can't exactly go without anything."

"They'd take us for a runaway couple—wouldn't that amuse you?"

"I don't believe anything would amuse me just now. You don't mind running away from Mrs. Perry?"

"Oh, hang Mrs. Perry! I'll write her not to come."

He sat down at his table and scratched off a