"Let's both forget," she said. "Oh, Carl, I was cruel, cruel! I--I
can not see now what made me so. Philip is right. He is always just
and honorable. He blames himself and me. You'll forgive me?"
"_I forgive_!" faltered Carl.
"There were forces driving you," said Diane steadily, "but I--was
deliberate. Let's pledge to a new beginning. Let me be your friend as
Philip is."
Their hands tightened in a clasp whose warmth was prophetic.
Mic-co's words rang again in Carl's ears.
"Fate is slipping into the groove of your life people who are destined
to care greatly!"
Diane was another!
Deeply moved, Carl glanced away over the sunlit water, rippling and
sparkling with myriad shafts of light.
"Let's sit here on the bank a minute," he said. "There's something I
must tell you. It's all right," he added with a smile, interpreting
her glance aright, "I made my peace with Aunt Agatha before you came
in. She burst into tears at the sight of me and retired to her tent.
I can't make out just why, but I think she said it was either because
I'm so tanned and a little thinner, or because none of her family were
ever addicted to disappearing, or because she has an uncle who's a
bishop. I came from Philip."
"Philip!"
"Yes.
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