he lovers was joyfully reassuring. She gave a
little gasp of relief, and had some difficulty to preserve her usual
equanimity. Indeed, she could not do so, when Antony, holding Rose's
hand, came to her and begged a little love for himself and a blessing
on her daughter's love for him. She was compelled to sit down and cry
a little, but she said her tears were tears of happiness; and she was
very gentle, and lovable, and sympathetic.

Then they went together to Mr. Filmer's study. But this day he was
neither reading nor writing; he was simply waiting the logic of
events. And oh, how welcome were the intruders! for when the load fell
from his heart, he knew by the release how heavy it had been. He rose
and met them half-way; he kissed his daughter and his wife, and shook
hands with Antony; and then, while the tears were in his eyes, and the
smile on his lips, he said, with a little dramatic gesture:

"Still in immortal youth, Arcadia smiles!"

CHAPTER VII

Rose's happiness was now running at full tide, and she was carried
with it, amid the sympathies of those who loved her and the
congratulations of all her acquaintances. Mr. Filmer abandoned his
great book until after the marriage. Harry took pride in introducing
his future brother-in-law to his best club acquaintances, and then was
agreeably surprised to find Antony's financial standing well known to
the magnates of the money world. Mrs. Filmer spoke with well
controlled elation of their satisfaction in the intended marriage, of
the bridegroom's fine character and great wealth, and of the old Dutch
ancestry which he shared with Miss Alida and the eminent Van Hoosen
family.

On Antony's side, the marriage gave equal satisfaction. Peter had a
pleasant memory of the bright girl; and Adriana thought far more of
Rose's good points than of her evil ones. With Miss Alida, she
planned all kinds of sweet surprises for the bride elect; and busied
herself continually concerning the details of the ceremony and the
preparations for it. And without a word to each other on the subject,
there appeared to be a tacit agreement among all who loved Rose
that she was not to be left to herself; and that all temptation must
be kept out of her path. This was an easy thing to do under the
circumstances; there was so much shopping to attend to; and there
were the wonderful wedding and travelling costumes to prepare, and
the dresses of the eight maids to be decided on, and all the