. It's just the heart of things."

He stopped. Olga was listening with earnest attention, her pale face
rapt. For a moment, as he ceased to speak, their eyes met, and between
them there ran the old electric current of sympathy, re-connected and
entire.

"Oh, Nick," she said, "you never fail me! You always understand!"

But Nick shook his head in whimsical denial. "No, not always, believe
me,--being but a man. But I've learnt to hide my ignorance by taking the
difficult bits for granted. For instance, I didn't expect you to take
this thing so sensibly. If I had, I should have acted very differently
long ago."

"Do you call me sensible, Nick?" she said, with a wistful smile.

"Not in all respects, dear," said Nick. "But you have shown more sense
than I expected on this occasion."

"Did you expect me to be very badly upset?" she asked. "Nick, shall I
tell you something? You'll think me fanciful perhaps. Yet I don't know.
Very likely you will understand. I've had a feeling for such a long,
long time that she--that Violet--was calling to me, and I could never
hear what she wanted to say. To-day--at last--I have been in touch with
her, and I know that all is well." She turned her face up to the sun
again, speaking with closed eyes. "I know that she is safe. I know that
she is happy. And--Nick--Nick--" her voice thrilled on the words--"I
know that she loves me still."

Nick bared his head with reverence. His face was strangely moved, but
the restless eyes were steadfast as he made reply: "That, dear, is just
the Omnipotence of Love. You can't explain it. It's too great a thing to
grasp. You can only feel the pull of the everlasting Chain that binds us
to those beyond."

"It is wonderful," she whispered, "wonderful!"

"It is Divine," said Nick.

CHAPTER XXVIII

A SOLDIER AND A GENTLEMAN

When Nick returned to Redlands, he was alone. Olga had gone down again
to the shore. She wanted to be by herself a little longer, she said. He
didn't mind? No, Nick minded nothing, so long as all went well with her;
and, on her promise that all should be well, he left her with Cork for
guardian.

He went back to Redlands over the cliffs, entering his own grounds by a
low wire fence, and thence turning inwards towards the garden. The
sounds of gay voices reached him as he approached, and he speedily found
himself caught in a lively ambush that consisted of Peggy, Reggie, and
Noel. He naturally fled for his life, but was