e of such radiant happiness that I couldn't imagine
what good luck had befallen him.

"What do you think?" he exclaimed; "here's an invitation for a cruise in
the Aurora at the end of August--to be nearly the same party that we had
years ago," and he threw down the letter for me to read.

Of course there was special mention of "my niece, Miss Merrifield, who
has just returned from India, and is ordered plenty of sea-air." I could
have told that without reading the letter, for it was written quite
clearly in Derrick's face. He looked ten years younger, and if any of
his adoring readers could have seen the pranks he was up to that morning
in our staid and respectable chambers, I am afraid they would no longer
have spoken of him "with 'bated breath and whispering humbleness."

As it happened, I, too, was able to leave home for a fortnight at the
end of August; and so our party in the Aurora really was the same,
except that we were all several years older, and let us hope wiser, than
on the previous occasion. Considering all that had intervened, I was
surprised that Derrick was not more altered; as for Freda, she was
decidedly paler than when we first met her, but before long sea-air and
happiness wrought a wonderful transformation in her.

In spite of the pessimists who are for ever writing books, even writing
novels (more shame to them), to prove that there is no such thing as
happiness in the world, we managed every one of us heartily to enjoy our
cruise. It seemed indeed true that:

"Green leaves and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing and loving all come back together."

Something, at any rate, of the glamour of those past days came back to
us all, I fancy, as we laughed and dozed and idled and talked beneath
the snowy wings of the Aurora, and I cannot say I was in the least
surprised when, on roaming through the pleasant garden walks in that
unique little island of Tresco, I came once more upon Derrick and Freda,
with, if you will believe it, another handful of white heather given
to them by that discerning gardener! Freda once more reminded me of the
girl in the 'Biglow Papers,' and Derrick's face was full of such bliss
as one seldom sees.

He had always had to wait for his good things, but in the end they came
to him. However, you may depend upon it, he didn't say much. That was
never his way. He only gripped my hand, and, with his eyes all aglow
with happiness, exclaimed "Congratulate me