ed upon household matters wholly
feminine, wherefore Small Porges had drawn Bellew to the window, and
there they leaned, the small body enfolded by Bellew's long arm, and the
two faces turned up to the silvery splendour of the moon.

But now, Anthea came up behind them, and, not noticing the position of
Bellew's arm as she leaned on the other side of Small Porges, it befell
that her hand touched, and for a moment, rested upon Bellew's hand,
hidden as it was in the shadow. And this probably began it.

The air of Arcadia, as has been said before, is an intoxicating air; but
it is more, it is an air charged with a subtle magic whereby the
commonest objects, losing their prosaic, matter-of-fact shapes, become
transfigured into things of wonder, and delight. Little things that pass
as mere ordinary common-places,--things insignificant, and wholly
beneath notice in the every day world, become fraught with such infinite
meaning, and may hold such sublime, such undreamed of possibilities
--here in Arcadia. Thus, when it is recorded that Anthea's hand
accidentally touched, and rested upon Bellew's--the significance of it
will become at once apparent.

"And pray," said Anthea, laying that same hand in the most natural
manner in the world, upon the Small Porges' curls, "Pray what might you
two be discussing so very solemnly?"

"The moon," answered Small Porges. "I was wondering if it was a Money
Moon, an' Uncle Porges hasn't said if it is, yet."

"Why no, old chap," answered Bellew, "I'm afraid not."

"And pray," said Anthea again, "what might a Money Moon be?"

"Well," explained Small Porges, "when the moon's just--just so, then you
go out an'--an' find a fortune, you know. But the moon's got to be a
Money Moon, and you've got to know, you know, else you'll find nothing,
of course."

"Ah Georgy dear!" sighed Anthea, stooping her dark head down to his
golden curls, "don't you know that fortunes are very hard to get, and
that they have to be worked for, and that no one ever found one without
a great deal of labour, and sorrow?"

"'Course--everyone can't find fortunes, Auntie Anthea, I know that, but
we shall,--my Uncle Porges knows all about it, you see, an' I know that
we shall. I'm sure as sure we shall find one, some day, 'cause, you see,
I put it in my prayers now,--at the end, you know. I say: 'An' please
help me an' my Uncle Porges to find a fortune when the Money Moon
comes,--a big one, world without end--Amen!' So