ess remains of Hugh Mainwaring were
carried from the court-room, while, in another direction, the
unconscious form of Ralph Mainwaring was borne by tender, pitying
hands, among them those of the victor himself, and the contest of
Mainwaring versus Mainwaring was ended.

* * * * * * * * *

The bright sunlight of a December afternoon, ten days after the
close of the trial, crowned with a shining halo the heads of
Harold Scott Mainwaring and his wife as they stood together in the
tower-room at Fair Oaks. But a few hours had elapsed since they
had repeated the words of the beautiful marriage service which had
made them husband and wife. Their wedding had been, of necessity,
a quiet one, only their own party and a few of their American
friends being present, for the ocean-liner, then lying in the
harbor, but which in a few hours was to bear them homeward, would
carry also the bodies of the Mainwaring brothers and of Ralph
Mainwaring to their last resting place.

Here, amid the very surroundings where it was written, Harold
Mainwaring had just read to his wife his father's letter, penned a
few hours before his death. For a few moments neither spoke, then
Winifred said brokenly, through fast falling tears,--

"How he loved you, Harold!"

"Yes," he replied, sadly; "and what would I not give for one hour
in which to assure him of my love! I would gladly have endured any
suffering for his sake, but in the few moments that we stood face
to face we met as strangers, and I have had no opportunity to show
him my appreciation of his love or my love for him in return."

"Don't think he does not know it," she said, earnestly. "I believe
that he now knows your love for him far more perfectly than you
know his."

He kissed her tenderly, then drawing from his pocket a
memorandum-book, took therefrom a piece of blotter having upon it
the impress of some writing. Placing it upon the desk beside the
letter, he held a small mirror against it, and Winifred, looking
in the mirror, read,

"Your affectionate father,
"HAROLD SCOTT MAINWARING."

Then glancing at the signature to the letter, she saw they were
identical. In answer to her look of inquiry, Harold said,--

"I discovered that impress on the blotter on this desk one morning
about ten days after the tragedy, and at once recognized it as my
father's writing. In a flash I u