unnaturally, even to his own ears.

"Of course, you have my consent, if it's worth anything. If our little
Rose does love you, I am sure that you can make her happy--you're a
splendid chap, Phil, and I--and I appreciate what you have done for her
while I was away. She wrote me all about it."

He stretched out his hand, and the other started from his chair, and
wrung it heartily.

"Thanks, old man. You give me an added quota of courage, and I wish that
I might go to her this minute; but I've been called out of town on an
important case. I really shouldn't have taken the time even to stop
here, but I simply had to see you to-night. Love is an awful thing,
isn't it?"

"Yes," he answered, dully. "Love is always impatient ... I know that
myself. Perhaps I ... that is, if I can get her ... Rose, I think that I
will take her down to Ethel's with me, to-night, and you can ... can see
her there. Where is she staying now?"

"With Miss Merriman's family, if she hasn't been called out on a case
since morning. She's been doing district nursing, principally; but
she's already had two private cases, you know."

Donald did not, and the realization of how far he had drifted away from
his old, intimate association with Smiles' affairs, brought his heart an
added stab of pain.

"The number is Back Bay, 4315." He glanced at his watch and then
exclaimed, "Heavens, I've got to catch a train at the Trinity Place
station in five minutes. Be ready to furnish bail for my chauffeur as
soon as he is arrested for over-speeding. 'Night. I'll see you at
Manchester in a few days ... that is if ..."

His words trailed off down the corridor, the front door closed and
Donald was alone. No, not alone. Philip had gone, but the room was
peopled with a multitude of ghosts and haunting spectres which he had
left behind. The doctor had only to close his eyes in order to see them,
gibbering and dancing on his hopes, which had been laid low by his
friend's eager disclosure. Another loved her, another wanted to marry
her, and that other could truthfully say that he believed she cared for
him. No spoken words of love may have passed between them, but Donald
knew well how unessential these were when heart called to heart.

This was his homecoming!

It were as though the eyes of his soul had been permitted, for a brief
time, to behold a dazzling celestial light, which had suddenly failed,
leaving the darkness blacker than before. The words which he had