er; but he clasped her in his arms and kissed her "cheek and
chin" as he had done that misty morning on the deck of the "Steadfast"
so many years ago.

"Rose," said Graeme, "it is Allan--Allan Ruthven. Don't you remember.
I was always sure we should see him again."

They were very, very glad, but they did not say so to one another in
many words. The names of the dead were on their lips, making their
voices trembling and uncertain.

"Arthur," said Rose, as they were all sitting together a day or two
after, "you have forgotten to tell us about the party."

"You have forgotten to ask me, you mean. You have been so taken up with
your new hero that I have had few of your thoughts."

Mr Ruthven smiled at Rose from the other side of the table.

"Well, tell us about it now," said she. "You must have enjoyed it
better than you expected, for more than one of the `small-hours' had
struck before you came home."

"Oh, yes, I enjoyed it very well. I met young Storey, who has just
returned from Europe. I enjoyed his talk very much. And then Mrs
Gridley took me under her protection. She is a clever woman, and
handsome, too."

"Handsome!" echoed Rose. "Why she is an old woman, with grown-up
daughters. And if you were to see her by daylight!"

They all laughed.

"Well, that might make a difference. But she says very clever, or maybe
very sharp, things about her neighbours, and the time passed quickly
till supper. It was rather late but I could not leave before supper--
the event of the evening."

"I should think not," said Harry.

"Well, we won't ask about the supper, lest it might make Harry
discontented with his own. And what happened after supper?"

"Oh! after supper Mr Grove and his friend Barnes began to discuss the
harbour question, and I very foolishly allowed myself to be drawn into
the discussion. Mr Green was there, the great western merchant. He is
a long-headed fellow, that. You must know him, Mr Ruthven."

"I know him well. He is a remarkably clever business-man, and a good
fellow; though, I suppose, few know it so well as I do. I had a long
illness in C once, and he nursed me as if I had been a brother. I might
have known him for years in the way of business, without discovering his
many excellent qualities. He has the name of being rather hard in the
way of business, I believe?"

"He has a clear head of his own," said Arthur; "I enjoyed a talk with
him very much. He intends visiting