n, and vanished.

John kissed Phyllis and tried, awkwardly, to take off her hat. He
managed it finally, and a loose strand of beautiful hair fell over one
of her ears. She tucked it away.

"Isn't it too wonderful to be true!" she said. John's heart was too full
for speech. He turned away to hide his working mouth.

Mrs. Farquharson was on her knees before Phyllis a moment later. The
slippers were too large, but how welcome to her aching feet. One of her
shoes, upturned, caught Mrs. Farquharson's eye. She inspected John's
handiwork; then gave Phyllis a startled look.

"In February, my dear. And on your wedding day! How ever came it? With
newspapers, all wadded in. Whatever's happened?"

"It has all been very sudden, dear Farquharson" said Phyllis. "I will
tell you all about it as soon as I have rested a little. Oh! It is good,
good, to be with you. I am so glad, so glad. Aren't you glad, John?
Just think--if you hadn't tried once more. If you hadn't asked at that
little shop."

"Shop?" inquired Mrs. Farquharson.

"The little old bookshop, at the other aid of the square," explained
John.

"Oh, Mr. Rowlandson's. He sent you here. He would, to be sure. My oldest
lodger, sir, and the easiest to do for--though odd. Here's Genevieve
with the tea. Don't put the tray on the sofa, Genevieve On the table, of
course. Whenever will you learn? Here, drink this, my deary dear. It
will prepare your stomach for something more. I am getting your supper
ready now downstairs, and the young gentleman's. There's a chop. Do
drink a little of the tea, my dear, even if you don't want it. It's for
your best. Do you like apricots as well as ever you did? Oh, whoever has
had the bringing of you up, that I should have had! The many times I've
thought. And your poor dear mother and father both taken at once, too."

"I went to my Uncle Peter," said Phyllis "I have lived there ever
since."

"Sir Peter Oglebay--your father's brother I might have known." Mrs.
Farquharson nodded her head vigorously. "Though he was terrible down on
your--To think of that now! And so you have been here in London all
these many years! And me never to know! Deary me!"

"We--my uncle did everything to find you," Phyllis assured her. "He even
advertised for you. I cried for you very often when I was little, dear
Farquharson."

"Did you, indeed, my dear?" asked Mrs. Farquharson, smiling, and wiping
her eyes with her apron. "And advertised for me. In the papers. R