ith shame he did not falter.

"No," whispered back his father. "I shall tell no one. I want the
children to feel nothing but affection and respect for you, to look up to
you. Nothing must smirch Stella's beautiful love for you, Paul.
It is something you cannot prize too highly, and will some day know the
true value of."

"I will try not to let anything," said Paul gravely, and there came a tap
at the door. "Is daddy here?" asked Stella's voice, and then, opening the
door, "Oh, you are in the dark. Poor Paul, weren't you frightened?"

"Oh, no," said Paul simply, "father is here."

And then a happy little procession went down the stairs to supper--Paul in
his father's arms, Stella running in front to open doors. Exclamations of
joy greeted them as they appeared, for this was Paul's first appearance
below stairs. And his mother, who at the first glance saw that it was her
old, happy Paul who had come back to them, and that all the shadow which
had come between them had been cleared away, felt happier than she had for
many a long day. For one wilful mischievous boy can not only make himself
thoroughly unhappy, but everyone about him becomes unhappy too.

A week or two later they left Moor Farm for home, their holiday ended.

"Well," said Mr. Anketell, drawing a deep breath as he took his seat
beside them in the train, "it seems to me we lost nothing in the way of
excitement by not going to Norway. Dartmoor was able to give us as much
as we could manage with."

"I have never regretted the change," said Mrs. Anketell heartily,
"have you children?"

"Oh, no," cried Michael, excitedly. "We had adventures all the time, and
shooting, and everything."

"Yes," said Paul, laughing ruefully, "and I provided most of them."

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PAUL THE COURAGEOUS***

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