At night he would dictate and she would write.
O'Connell took a newer and more vital interest in the book, and it
advanced rapidly toward completion.

It was a significant moment to introduce it, since the eyes of the
world were turned on the outcome of the new measure for Home Rule for
Ireland, that Mr. Asquith's government were introducing, and that
appeared to have every chance of becoming law.

The dream of so many Irishmen seemed to be within the bounds of
possibility of becoming a forceful reality.

Accordingly O'Connell strained every nerve to complete it. He reviewed
the past; he dwelt on the present: he attempted to forecast the future.
And with every new page that he completed he felt it was one more step
nearer home--the home he was hoping for and building on for Peg--in
Ireland.

There the colour would come back to her cheeks, the light to her eyes
and the flash of merriment to her tongue. She rarely smiled now, and
the pallor was always in her cheeks, and wan circles pencilled around
her eyes spoke of hard working days and restless nights.

She no longer spoke of England.

He, wise in his generation, never referred to it. All her interest
seemed to be centred in his book.

It was a strange metamorphosis for Peg--this writing at dictation:
correcting her orthography; becoming familiar with historical facts and
hunting through bookshelves for the actual occurrences during a certain
period.

And she found a certain happiness in doing it.

Was it not for her father?

And was she not improving herself?

Already she would not be at such a disadvantage, as a month ago, with
people.

The thought gratified her.

She had two letters from Ethel: the first a simple, direct one of
gratitude and of regret; gratitude for Peg's kindness and loyalty to
her, and regret that Peg had left them. The second told of a trip she
was about to make to Norway with some friends.

They were going to close the house in Scarboro and return to London
early in September.

Alaric had decided to follow his father's vocation and go to the bar.
The following Autumn they would settle permanently in London while
Alaric ate his qualifying dinners and addressed himself to making his
career!

Of Brent she wrote nothing. That incident was apparently closed. She
ended her letter with the warmest expressions of regard and affection
for Peg, and the hope that some day they would meet again and renew
their too-brief intimacy. The a