of lightness and
fragrance seemed to remain with him, to be flitting here and there
with the silence of a phantom, to be hovering in the air, to be
bending over him, to be nestling close to him. Then, as he closed his
eyes dreamily, Margaret seemed to float before him. He was aware of
her eyes, her hair, her voice; he saw her just as she had sat there
with her face and hands showing exquisite against the silver-blue of
her dress, and the forget-me-nots at her throat and waist.

CHAPTER VIII.

In the autumn of the third year of Morgan's engagement with the Upper
Thames street firm of printers he found himself with enough money to
pay off the balance due to his one remaining creditor. There had been
a good deal of method displayed in the order in which he had enjoined
Helen to settle the debts, and this particular firm had been left to
the last because it had received a goodly sum in the first days when
Cleo was using up their ready money.

It was Saturday, and he had just got away from the works. He had been
intending to take this last instalment to Helen that very afternoon;
but the idea came to him that he would rather enjoy the sensation of
making this last payment in person, and he proceeded immediately to
act on it.

Arrived at the business place of the firm, he explained to a clerk
that he wished to clear off an old matter, and recalled the occasion
to him. The man looked surprised, and went to consult his principal.
An old ledger had to be looked up, and then Morgan was informed the
account had been settled very shortly after the closing of the
theatre. The principal now remembered the circumstances perfectly. A
cheque had come from a certain firm of solicitors in the West End,
much to his surprise. After some further searching the clerk was able
to tell Morgan who these solicitors were.

This last piece of information simply corroborated what he had at once
suspected. Helen had carried out, without consulting him, the very
same suggestion that Margaret had once made to him, and was keeping
the sums he had been sending her from time to time. He understood,
though, that she must have done it mainly for the sake of the actors
and workpeople.

He said nothing to her of his discovery when he called at Belgrave
Square a couple of hours later, but just handed her the money, which
she quietly placed in a drawer of her escritoire.

"And now I have to congratulate you, Morgan," she said. "You have
shown