ht fingers to rest upon his open palm. It was as though
she thus affixed her legal signature and seal to the deed of gift.
She had not said a word to him; not a word of love or a word of
assent; but no such word was now necessary.

"Madeline, my own Madeline," he said; and then taking unfair
advantage of the fingers which she had given him he drew her to his
breast and folded her in his arms.

It was nearly an hour after this when he returned to the
drawing-room. "Do go in now," she said. "You must not wait any
longer; indeed you must go."

"And you--; you will come in presently."

"It is already nearly eleven. No, I will not show myself again
to-night. Mamma will soon come up to me, I know. Good-night, Felix.
Do you go now, and I will follow you." And then after some further
little ceremony he left her.

When he entered the drawing-room Lady Staveley was there, and the
judge with his teacup beside him, and Augustus standing with his back
to the fire. Felix walked up to the circle, and taking a chair sat
down, but at the moment said nothing.

"You didn't get any wine after your day's toil, Master Graham," said
the judge.

"Indeed I did, sir. We had some champagne."

"Champagne, had you? Then I ought to have waited for my guest, for I
got none. You had a long day of it in court."

"Yes, indeed, sir."

"And I am afraid not very satisfactory." To this Graham made no
immediate answer, but he could not refrain from thinking that the
day, taken altogether, had been satisfactory to him.

And then Baker came into the room, and going close up to Lady
Staveley, whispered something in her ear. "Oh, ah, yes," said Lady
Staveley. "I must wish you good night, Mr. Graham." And she took his
hand, pressing it very warmly. But though she wished him good night
then, she saw him again before he went to bed. It was a family in
which all home affairs were very dear, and a new son could not be
welcomed into it without much expression of affection.

"Well, sir! and how have you sped since dinner?" the judge asked as
soon as the door was closed behind his wife.

"I have proposed to your daughter and she has accepted me." And as
he said so he rose from the chair in which he had just now seated
himself.

"Then, my boy, I hope you will make her a good husband;" and the
judge gave him his hand.

"I will try to do so. I cannot but feel, however, how little right I
had to ask her, seeing that I am likely to be so poor a man."