that had perhaps ever
been eaten in that house.

She went towards him with winged steps in her white dress: 'Oh! Mr.
Dutton, we have not said half enough to you, but we never, never can.'

He gave a curious, trembling half smile, as she held out her hands to
him, and said: 'The joy is great in itself,' speaking in a very low
voice.

'Oh! I am so glad that you did it,' cried Ursula. 'It would not have
been half so sweet to owe it to any one else.'

'Miss Egremont, do you know what you are saying?' he exclaimed.

'Don't call me Miss Egremont! You never used to. Why should you?'

'I have not dared--' he began.

'Dared! Don't you know you always were our own Mr. Dutton--best,
wisest friend of all, and now more than ever.'

'Stay,' he said, 'I cannot allow you in your fervour to say such things
to me, unaware of the strength of feeling you are stirring within me.'

'You! you! Mr. Dutton!' cried Nuttie, with a moment's recoil. 'You
don't mean that you care for _me_.'

'I know it is preposterous--' he began.

'Preposterous! Yes, that you should care one bit for silly, foolish,
naughty, self-willed me. Oh, Mr. Dutton, you can't mean it!'

'Indeed, I would have kept silence, and not disturbed you with my
presumption, if--'

'Hush!' she cried. 'Why, it makes me so glad and so proud, I don't
know what to do. I didn't think anybody was good enough for
you--unless it was dear, dear mother--and that it should be me.'

'It is true,' he said gravely, 'my younger days were spent in a vain
dream of that angel, then when all that was ended, I thought such
things were not for me; but the old feeling has wakened, it seems to me
in greater force than ever, though I meant to have kept it in control--'

'Oh, I am glad you didn't! It seems as if the world swam round with
wonder and happiness,' and she held his hand as if to steady herself,
starting however as Annaple opened the door saying, 'We've been sending
telegrams with the good news.'

Then an arch light came into her bright eyes, but the others were
behind her, and she said no more.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

FOUND AND TAKEN.

'The angels of the gateway
Bent softly to the child,
And stretched glad hands to take him
To the kingdom undefiled.'--B. M.

'Come up and see him,' said Nuttie, as the dining-room door was shut.
'I must feast my eyes on him.'

Annaple replied by throwing an arm round her and looking into her eyes,
kissing her on ea