dolorous
air.

"I suppose I am rather _de trop_ here, but really I wish you would not
turn me out. In weather like this our hotel coffee-room is just a trifle
dull, isn't it, Dalziel? And, Miss Williams, your parlor looks so
comfortable. Will you let me stay?"

He made the request with a simplicity quite pathetic. One of the most
lovable things about this man--is it not in all men?--was, that with all
his shrewdness and cleverness, and his having been knocked up and down
the world for so many years, he still kept a directness and simpleness of
character almost child-like.

To refuse would have been unkind, impossible; so Miss Williams told him
he should certainly stay if he could make himself comfortable. And to
that end she soon succeeded in turning off her two turtle-doves into a
room by themselves, for the use of which they had already bargained,
in order to "read together, and improve their minds." Meanwhile she
and Helen tried to help the two little boys to spend a dull holiday
indoors--if they were ever dull beside Uncle Robert, who had not lost
his old influence with boys, and to those boys was already a father in
all but the name.

Often Fortune watched them, sitting upon his chair, hanging about him as
he walked, coming to him for sympathy in every thing. Yes, every body
loved him, for there was such an amount of love in him toward every
mortal creature, except--

She looked at him and his boys, then turned away. What was to be had
been, and always would be. That which we fight against in our youth as
being human will, human error, in our age we take humbly, knowing it to
be the will of God.

By-and-by in the little household the gas was lighted, the curtains
drawn, and the two lovers fetched in for tea, to behave themselves as
much as they could like ordinary mortals, in general society, for the
rest of the evening. A very pleasant evening it was, spite of this new
element; which was got rid of as much as possible by means of the window
recess, where Janetta and David encamped composedly, a little aloof from
the rest.

"I hope they don't mind me," said Mr. Roy, casting an amused glance in
their direction, and then adroitly maneuvering with the back of his chair
so as to interfere as little as possible with the young couple's
felicity.

"Oh no, they don't mind you at all," answered Helen, always affectionate,
if not always wise. "Besides, I dare say you yourself were young once,
Mr. Roy.