tood by her
side--calmer now, and radiant in the beauty of his youth. Manly as he
was, there was something about him which could only be expressed by the
word "beautiful"--a something that, be he ever so old, would keep up his
boyish likeness--his look of "the angel Gabriel."

"Let us go into the house now."

They went--those two young hearts thrilling and bounding with life and
joy--into the darkening house, the hushed presence of Anne Valery.

She was lying on her sofa, very still and death-like. The white cap tied
under her chin, the hands folded--the perfect silence in and about the
room--it was like as if she had lain down to rest, calmly and alone, in
her solitary house, and in her sleep the spirit had flown away;--away
into the glorious company of angels and archangels, never to be alone
any more.

But it was not so. Hearing footsteps, Anne opened her eyes, and
roused herself quickly. She looked from one to the other of the young
people--at the first glance she seemed to understand all A great joy
flashed across her; but she said nothing. She as well as they were long
used to that peculiarity of nature--which especially belonged to
the Harper family--a conviction of the uselessness of talk and the
sacredness of silence.

"Has my brother arrived?" said Nathanael.

"Not yet."

"Marmaduke is gone?"

"Yes; he wanted to get up a Free-trade dinner for the welcoming"--here
she smiled--"of one whom he says all Dorset will be delighted to
welcome--your Uncle Brian. Worthy Duke! It is his hobby, and one likes
to indulge him in it."

"Most certainly. And where is the dinner--Uncle Brian's grand dinner--to
take place?"

"I persuaded him to change it into a public meeting, and give the
clay-cutters--many of them Mr. Locke Harper's former people, and some
now old and poor--a New Year's feast instead. You will see to
that, Nathanael?" And she laid her hand on his arm with rather more
earnestness than the simple request warranted.

Nathanael assented hastily, and spoke of something else.

"I am rather sorry I asked my brother to meet me here; I forgot he has
not been to Thornhurst for so many years."

"It is time then that he came," said Anne, gently. "I shall be very glad
to see him."

While she was speaking, her old servant entered, with the announcement
of "Major Harper."

Just the Major Harper of old--well-dressed, courtly, with his singularly
handsome face, and his short dark moustache, sufficient to ma