hing is changed there," he said; and, fitting the key, unlocked
the door, and turned away.

But the girl caught his hand in hers and drew him with her into the
faded, shabby room where her mother's chair stood in its accustomed
place, and the faded hassock lay beside it.

"Sit here," she said. And when he was seated she dropped on the
hassock at his feet and laid her cheek on his knees.

The room was very still and sunny; her lover remained silent and
unstirring; and the girl's eyes wandered from carpet to ceiling and
from wall to wall, resting on familiar objects; then, passing
dreamily, remained fixed on space--sweet, brooding eyes, dim with the
deepest emotion she had ever known.

A new, profound, and thrilling peace possessed her--a heavenly sense
of tranquillity and security, as though, somehow, all problems had
been solved for her and for him.

Presently in a low, hushed, happy voice she began to speak about her
mother. Little unimportant, unconnected incidents came to her
mind--brief moments, episodes as ephemeral as they had been
insignificant.

Sitting on the faded hassock at his feet she lifted her head and
rested both arms across his knees.

"It is all so perfect now," she said,--"you here in mother's room, and
I at your feet: and the sunny world waiting for us outside. How mellow
is this light! Always in the demi-dusk of this house there seemed to
me to linger a golden tint--even on dark days--even at night--as
though somewhere a ray of sun had been lost and had not entirely faded
out."

"It came from your own heart, Athalie--that wonderful and golden heart
of yours where light and warmth can never die.... Dear, are you
contented with what I have ventured to do?"

She looked silently into his eyes, then with a little sigh dropped her
head on his knees again.

Far away somewhere in the depths of the house somebody was moving. And
presently she asked him who it was.

"Connor, the man of all work. I sent him to Spring Pond village to
buy bed linen and bath towels. I ventured to install a brass bed or
two in case you had thought of coming here with your maid. You see,"
he added, smiling, "it was fortunate that I did."

"You are the most wonderful man in the world, Clive," she murmured,
her eyes fixed dreamily on his face. "Always you have been making life
delightful for me; smoothing my path, helping me where the road is
rough."... She sighed: "Clive, you are very wonderful to me."

*