s. Viola never even
thanked Harold for the cup, which he put into her lap after she was
seated beside Dermot's feet on the back seat of the carriage. She only
bent her head under her broad hat, and there was a clasp of the two
hands.

I turned to go up to my sitting-room. Harold came after me and shut
the door.

"Lucy," he said, "may one give thanks for such things?"

The words of the 107th Psalm came to my lips: "Oh that men would
therefore praise the Lord for His goodness, and declare the wonders
that He doeth for the children of men."

He put his hands over his face, and said presently, in a smothered
voice, "I had just begun to pray for the old man."

I could not say any more for happy tears, less for "the captive exile"
than for my own Harry.

Soon he looked up again, and said with a smile, "I shan't fight against
it any longer."

"I don't think it is of any use," was my answer, as if pretending to
condole; and where another man would have uttered a fervent rhapsody,
he exclaimed, "Lovely little darling!"

But after another interval he said, "I don't mean to speak of it till I
come back." And on my question, "From London?" "No, from Boola Boola."

He had evidently debated the whole matter during his midnight tramps,
and had made up his mind, as he explained, that it would be cruel to
Viola to touch the chord which would disclose her feelings to herself.
She was a mere child, and if her fancy were touched, as he scarcely
allowed himself to believe, it was hard to lay fully before her those
dark pages in his history which she must know before she could be
allowed to give herself to him. Besides, her mother and uncle would,
even if there were nothing else amiss, be sure to oppose a match with
one who had nothing in England but his cousin's agency and a few shares
in the potteries; and though Harold had plenty of wealth at Boola
Boola, it was certain that he should not have a moment's audience from
the elders unless he could show its amount in property in England. If
things went well, he would buy a piece of Neme Heath, reclaim it, and
build a house on it; or, perhaps, an estate in Ireland, near Killy
Marey, where the people had gained his heart. Till, however, he could
show that he had handsome means in a form tangible to Lady Diana, to
express his affection would only be exposing Viola to displeasure and
persecution. Moreover, he added, his character was not cleared up as
much as was even possible