papa,
whom she loved very much--papa, who is so handsome that he could never
have really been a husband, could he?"

Then she blushed deeply, realizing what she had said.

And the quaintness of it caused Hector to smile while he felt its
pathos.

How _could_ they all have sacrificed this beautiful young life between
them! And he slashed off a tall green weed with his stick when he
thought of Josiah Brown--his short, stumpy, plebeian figure and bald,
shiny head, his common voice, and his pompousness--Josiah Brown, who had
now the ordering of her comings and goings, who paid for her clothes and
gave her those great pearls--who might touch her and kiss her--might
clasp and caress her--might hold her in his arms, his very own, any
moment of the day--or night! Ah, God! that last thought was
impossible--unbearable.

And for one second Hector's eyes looked murderous as they glared into
the distance--and Theodora glanced up timidly, and asked, in a
sympathetic voice: What was it? What ailed him?

"Some day I will tell you," he said. "But not yet."

Then he asked her more about her family and her plans.

They would stay in London at Claridge's for a week or so, and go down to
Bessington Hall for Whitsuntide. It would be ready for them then. Josiah
had had it all furnished magnificently by one of those people who had
taste and ordered well for those who could afford to pay for it. She was
rather longing to see it, she said--her future home--and she could have
wished she might have chosen the things herself. Not that it mattered
much either way.

"I am very ignorant about houses," she explained, "because we never
really had one, you see, but I think, perhaps, I would know what was
pretty from museums and pictures--and I love all colors and forms."

He felt sure she would know what was pretty. How delightful it would be
to watch her playing with his old home! The touches of her gentle
fingers would make everything sacred afterwards.

At last they came to the end of the green glade--and temptation again
assailed him. He _must_ ruffle the peace of her soft eyes once more.

"And here is the barrier," he said, pointing to a board with "_Terrain
reserve_" upon it--_Reservee pour la chasse de Monsieur le President_,
"The barrier which Love keeps--and I want to take him with us as the
prince and princess did in the fairy tale."

"Then you must carry him all by yourself," laughed Theodora. "And he
will be heavy and tire you,