ges advanced to
him.

"Mrs. Ball says the children have only gone to Madame Tussaud's, my
lord," quoth he. "The nurse told her so when she went out."

"I wish she was herself one of Madame Tussaud's figure-heads!" cried Val.
"Mr. Carr dines here, Hedges. Nonsense, Carr; you can't refuse. Never
mind your coat; Anne won't mind. I want you to make acquaintance with
her."

"How did you contrive to win over Dr. Ashton?" asked Thomas Carr, as he
went in.

"I put the matter before him in its true light," answered Val, "asking
him whether, if Anne forgave me, he would condemn us to live out our
lives apart from each other: or whether he would not act the part of a
good Christian, and give her to me, that I might strive to atone for the
past."

"And he did so?"

"After a great deal of trouble. There's no time to give you details. I
had a powerful advocate in Anne's heart. She had never forgotten me, for
all my misconduct."

"You have been a lucky man at last, taking one thing with another."

"You may well say so," was the answer, in tones of deep feeling.
"Moments come over me when I fear I am about to awake and find the
present a dream. I am only now beginning to _live_. The past few years
have been--you know what, Carr."

He sent the barrister into the drawing room, went upstairs for Anne, and
brought her in on his arm. The dowager was in her chamber, attiring
herself in haste.

"My wife, Carr," said Hartledon, with a loving emphasis on the word.
She was in an evening dress of white and black, not having yet put off
mourning for Mrs. Ashton, and looked very lovely; far more lovely in
Thomas Carr's eyes than Lady Maude, with her dark beauty, had ever
looked. She held out her hand to him with a frank smile.

"I have heard so much of you, Mr. Carr, that we seem like old friends.
I am glad you have come to see me so soon."

"My being here this evening is an accident, Lady Hartledon, as you may
see by my dress," he returned. "I ought rather to apologize for intruding
on you in the hour of your arrival."

"Don't talk about intrusion," said Val. "You will never be an intruder in
my house--and Anne's smile is telling you the same--"

"Who's that, pray?"

The interruption came from the countess-dowager. There she stood, near
the door, in a yellow gown and green turban. Val drew himself up and
approached her, his wife still on his arm. "Madam," said he, in reply to
her question, "this is my wife, Lady Hartledon."