ing, and his features worked nervously.

'You have never said you love me,' he continued, just above a whisper.
'Will you say that now?'

For an instant she looked down, then raised her eyes again, and
breathed:

'I love you, Gilbert.'

'I don't think words were ever spoken that sounded sweeter than those!'

She spoke again, with an earnestness unlike anything he had ever seen
in her, quite different from that which had inspired similar words when
first she pledged herself to him.

'Gilbert, I will try with all my strength to be a good wife to you! I
will!'

'And I hope, Thyrza, that the day when I fail in perfect love and
kindness to you may be the last of my life!'

She raised her face, For the first time he put his arms about her and
kissed her passionately.

Mrs. Grail said good-night and went downstairs as soon as Thyrza
appeared. Thyrza seated herself and pressed a hand against her side;
her heart beat painfully.

'Why there!' Lydia exclaimed of a sudden. 'She's left the photographs!'

'What photographs?' Thyrza asked.

Lydia took from the table an envelope which contained some dozen
cartes-de-visite. They were all the portraits which Mrs. Grail and her
son possessed, and the old lady was very fond of looking over them and
gossiping about them. She had brought them up to-night because she
anticipated an evening of especial intimacy with Lydia.

Thyrza held out her hand for them. She knew them all, including the
latest addition, which was a photograph of Walter Egremont. Egremont
had given it to Grail about three weeks ago; it was two years old. She
turned them out upon her lap.

'I think I'd better take them down now, hadn't I?' said Lydia.

'I wouldn't trouble till morning,' Thyrza answered, in a tired voice.

Two lay exposed before her: that of Gilbert, taken six years ago, and
that of Egremont. Lydia, looking over her shoulder, remarked:

'What a boy Mr. Egremont looks, compared with Gilbert!'

Thyrza said nothing.

'Come, dear, put them in the envelope, and let me take them down.'

'Oh, never mind till morning, Lyddy!'

The voice was rather impatient.

'But I'm afraid Mrs. Grail 'll remember, and have the trouble of coming
up.'

'She won't think it worth while. And I want to look at them.'

'Oh, very well, dear.'

The two unlike faces continued to lie uppermost.

CHAPTER XIX

A SONG WITHOUT WORDS

Whilst the repairs were going on in the house behind the school, the