eve she loves you!"

The colour kindled in Reay's face.

"Ah, don't fool me, David!" he said--"you don't know what it would mean
to me----"

"Fool you!" Helmsley sat upright in his chair and looked at him with an
earnestness which left no room for doubt. "Do you think I would 'fool'
you, or any man, on such a matter? Old as I am, and lonely and
friendless as I _was_, before I met this dear woman, I know that love is
the most sacred of all things--the most valuable of all things--better
than gold--greater than power--the only treasure we can lay up in heaven
'where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal!' Do not"--and here his strong emotion threatened to
get the better of him--"do not, sir, think that because I was tramping
the road in search of a friend to help me, before Miss Mary found me and
brought me home here and saved my life, God bless her!--do not think, I
say, that I have no feeling! I feel very much--very strongly--" He broke
off breathing quickly, and his hands trembled. Reay hastened to his side
in some alarm, remembering what Mary had told him about the old man's
heart.

"Dear old David, I know!" he said. "Don't worry! I know you feel it
all--I'm sure you do! Now, for goodness' sake, don't excite yourself
like this--she--she'll never forgive me!" and he shook up the cushion at
the back of Helmsley's chair and made him lean upon it. "Only it would
be such a joy to me--such a wonder--such a help--to know that she really
loved me!--_loved_ me, David!--you understand--why, I think I could
conquer the world!"

Helmsley smiled faintly. He was suffering physical anguish at the
moment--the old sharp pain at his heart to which he had become more or
less wearily accustomed, had dizzied his senses for a space, but as the
spasm passed he took Reay's hand and pressed it gently.

"What does the Great Book tell us?" he muttered. "'If a man would give
all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned!'
That's true! And I would never 'fool' or mislead you on a matter of such
life and death to you, Mr. Reay. That's why I tell you to speak to Miss
Mary as soon as you can find a good opportunity--for I am sure she loves
you!"

"Sure, David?"

"Sure!"

Reay stood silent,--his eyes shining, and "the light that never was on
sea or land" transfigured his features.

At that moment a tap came at the door. A hand, evidently accustomed to
the outside mana