all. Her face was even
more beautiful than formerly, for great joy and peace irradiated every
feature.

"Where's Honore?" he said abruptly, looking about for his boy who was
generally the first to run as far as the bridge to greet him. His wife
answered.

"He and Billy went with Father Honore as far as the power-house; he'll
be back soon with Billy. Sister Ste. Croix went by a few minutes ago,
and I told her to hurry them home.--What's the good news, Champney? Tell
me quick--I can't wait to hear it."

Champney smiled down at the eager face looking up to him; her chin was
resting on her baby's head.

"Mr. Van Ostend has been in the sheds to-day--and I've had a long talk
with him."

"Oh, Champney!"

Both women exclaimed at the same time, and their faces reflected the joy
that shone in the eyes of the man they loved with a love bordering on
worship.

Champney nodded. "Yes, and so satisfactory--" he drew a long breath; "I
have so much to tell it will take half the evening. He wishes to 'pay
his respects,' so he says, to my wife and mother, if convenient for the
ladies to-morrow--how is it?" He looked with a smile first into the gray
eyes and then into the dark ones. In the latter he read silent pleased
consent; but Aileen's danced for joy as she answered:

"Convenient! So convenient, that he'll get the surprise of his life from
me, anyhow; he really must be made to realize that I am his debtor for
the rest of my days--don't I owe the 'one man on earth for me' to him?
for would I have ever seen Flamsted but for him? And have I ever
forgotten the roses he dropped into the skirt of my dress twenty-one
years ago this very month when I sang the Sunday night song for him at
the Vaudeville? Twenty-one years! Goodness, but it makes me feel old,
mother!"

Aurora Googe smiled indulgently on her daughter, for, at times, Aileen,
not only in ways, but looks, was still like the child of twelve.

Champney grew suddenly grave.

"Do you realize, Aileen, that this meeting to-day in the shed is the
first in which we three, Father Honore, Mr. Van Ostend, and I, have ever
been together under one roof since that night twenty-one years ago when
I first saw you?"

"Why, that doesn't seem possible--but it _is_ so, isn't it? Wasn't that
strange!"

"Yes, and no," said Champney, looking at his mother. "I thought of our
first meeting one another at the Vaudeville, as we three stood there
together in the shed looking upwards to The Go