183

XX. REAPING THE WHIRLWIND 194

XXI. THE HIDING-PLACE 203

XXII. OUT OF THE NORTH 217

XXIII. THE MEETING OF THE WAYS 224

XXIV. THE SUN SHINES OUT 239

CHAPTER I.

AS GOOD AS GONE.

"You won't be any more use to us after this," said Gertrude
positively.

A quick flush coloured Denys's cheek.

"Oh, Gertrude! why not?"

"Engaged girls never are the least use to their families," reiterated
Gertrude. "All they think about is the postman and their bottom
drawer. The family goes to the wall, its interests are no longer of
interest, its sewing is no longer necessary, its duties----"

But Denys's good-tempered laugh rippled out and interrupted the flow
of eloquence.

"Really, Gertrude! you are too funny!"

"I don't feel at all funny," grumbled Gertrude, half laughing and half
ashamed of herself, "only I'm quite busy enough, and I can't be piled
up with any of your odds and ends! Talking of bottom drawers," she
added, more contented now she had said her say, "if I were you I would
put away all your ornaments and vases, or Pattie will break them all
before you are married."

Denys's eyes wandered round the room, the dear old night nursery where
she had slept with one after another of the babies. The walls were
adorned with coloured prints, of which the stories had been told and
re-told to Tony and little Jerry and baby Maude, and the odds and ends
of little ornaments and carved brackets had each its own history of
a birthday or a holiday or a keepsake. There was nothing of value,
except in the value of association, and Denys smiled tenderly as she
shook her head.

On this evening, when she was just engaged to be married, every
association in the room was tugging at her heart, and weaving its
threads into the new fabric of joy that was spread out before her.

Gertrude's glance followed hers round the room.

"It isn't a half bad room," she remarked, "only those rubbishy old
pictures spoil it. When you are gone I shall have this room and you
will see the difference I shall make. What a joke it will be to see
you come poking round to see all our arrangements then!"

With a gay little laugh, she rubbed her pretty round cheek against
Denys's in a sort of good-night salute and departed, shuttin