bestowed upon her.

"Tut, tut, tut, now," observed the artful person in tones of deep
commiseration. "Ah well, Rupert's a poor creature which ever side he
turns up. Will you go now, my child, and fetch me the letters I left
on the drawing-room table? Isn't it like me to spend half the morning
writing them and leave them down there after all!"

Molly rose unwillingly, threw her whip on the bed, her hat on the
floor; and mistily concerned over Tanty's air of irrepressible and
pleasurable excitement, walked out of the room, bestowing as she
passed her long pier glass a moody glance at her own glowering beauty.

"What's the use of _you_?" she muttered to herself, "Anybody can fetch
and carry for old aunts and look out of windows on leafless trees!"

The way to the drawing-room was through the library. As Molly,
immersed in her reflections, passed along this room, she stopped with
a violent start on perceiving the figure of Sir Adrian, a tall
silhouette against the cold light of the window. As she came upon him,
her face was fully illumined, and there was a glorious tale-telling in
the widening of her eyes and the warm flush that mounted to her cheek
that on the instant scattered in the man's mind all wondering doubts.
A rush of tenderness filled him at one sweep, head and heart, to the
core.

"Molly!" he cried, panting; and then with halting voice as she
advanced a pace and stood with mouth parted and brilliant expectant
eyes: "You took away all light and warmth with you when you left my
lonely dwelling. I tried to take up my life there, but----"

"But you have come back--for me?" And drawn by his extended hands she
advanced, her burning gaze fixed upon his.

"I dared not think of seeing you again," he murmured, clasping her
hands; "yet my return ... pleases you?"

"Yes."

Thus was crowned this strange wooing, was clenched a life's union,
based upon either side on fascinating unrealities.

She was drawn into his arms; and against his heart she lay, shaking
with little shivers of delight, looking into the noble face bent so
lovingly over hers, her mind floating between unconscious exultation
and languorous joy.

For a long while without a word he held her thus on his strong arm,
gazing with a rending conflict of rapture and anguish on the beautiful
image of his life's love, until his eyes were dimmed with rising
tears. Then he slowly stooped over the up-turned face, and as she
dropped her lids with a faint smi