the scarlet poppies aflame in the gardens. His youth had come back to
him with that sunlit holiday. If he had spoken then, who knew what her
answer might have been. But he had let the hour and the day go by, and
now it was too late.

The snow flakes were whirling faster and faster as Mr. Gilbert opened
the gate and approached the house. He could see the rose light of the
fire through the curtained windows, and a slight, graceful figure
seated at one, sewing. The brown rattling stems of hop vines twining
around it, like sere serpents, made a framework for the girlish head and
fair young face. All the floss silk curls were bound back with scarlet
ribbon, and the luminous black eyes were fixed on her work. They saw the
tardy visitor, however, and with a bright, welcoming smile she sprang
up, and ran to open the door.

"How late you are. We thought you were not coming at all. I have been
looking for you all day." She held out her hand, far more like Norine of
old than last night, and led the way back into the parlor. There on his
comfortable sofa, by his comfortable fire, reposed of course the five
feet, eleven inches of Mr. Laurence Thorndyke. Mr. Gilbert gave that
invalid a nod several degrees icier than the elements out doors.

"Ah, you have come! I told Norine you would."--Norine! it had come to
that then--"I know you to be one of those uncompromising sort of
characters, Gilbert, who never break their word. Have you your cigar
case about you? I should like a smoke."

"Miss Bourdon is present, Mr. Thorndyke."

"So she is--for which Allah be praised. But Miss Bourdon is the most
sensible, as she is most charming of young ladies. She gave me _carte
blanche_ ages ago to smoke as much as I please. Didn't you Norry? She
fills my pipe, she even lights it when this confounded shoulder twitches
more than usual."

Richard Gilbert set his teeth with inward fury. To sit here, and listen
to Laurence Thorndyke's insolent familiarity, his lover like--"Norry,"
drove him half wild.

"I have not my cigar case," he answered, more and more frigidly; "and
if I had, I don't know that I should countenance such a trespass on
common decency as to let you smoke one here. How long before your doctor
thinks you fit to be removed?"

"Oh, not for weeks yet; it was a deuce of a fracture, I can tell you.
Why, pray? My insignificant movements, as a rule, are all unworthy Mr.
Gilbert's attention."

"Your uncle is my friend, sir," the lawyer