n he knelt down by his
bedside. He uttered no words, formulated no prayer, but he knew he was
very near to the heart of things.

Days passed, and still there was no news of Judge Bolitho. Paul's
mother, as steadily she grew stronger, seemed ever to be listening and
watching, but she asked no questions and spoke no word about the man of
whom both Paul and Mary were sure she was thinking. Both of them
rejoiced as they saw her health coming back to her, saw a new light in
her eyes, a tenderer expression on her lips. All the same, each of
them wondered what the future would bring forth. Neither Mary nor Paul
referred again to the shadow which hung upon the former's name. Not
one question did Paul ask about her mother, or about the days before
they first met each other. He was afraid it would give her pain, and
he would rather suffer anything than do that.

On the fourth day after his return, Paul's mother was well enough to
come downstairs again. She had clothed herself in the last new dress
Paul had bought her, and she blushed like a girl when he told her how
young and handsome she looked.

"Nay, Paul, I'm an old woman," she protested. All the same, it was
easy to see that she was pleased.

"You're just young and handsome, mother," he repeated. "There's many a
lass in Brunford who'd give anything to have your good looks."

"And they say you're the very image of me, Paul! Think now, when
you're praising my good looks you're just praising your own!"

In spite of their pleasantries, however, it was easy to see that she
was wondering about and longing for something of which she spoke no
word.

"Mother, it's eight o'clock. It's time for you to go to bed. You must
not take liberties with yourself."

"No," she said. "I'm going to stay up a little longer. I'm not so
weak as you think. Did I give way when--when--when I heard how near
you were to----? Oh, Paul! my boy! my boy! Thank God! No wonder you
love Mary. It was she who saved you! I fancied you had got yourself
off by your own cleverness, but, without her----"

"Without her everything would have been impossible," said Paul, but he
did not lift his eyes. He was afraid what his mother might see there.

"All the same, you'd better go to bed, mother. You'll be overtired!"

"Listen," she said, and both Mary and Paul saw her hands tremble.
"There! There! Don't you hear?"

All plainly heard the sound of wheels outside, an eager step on the
pat