e my son as he loves you, you have my consent.
I will not ask to know anything."

"You must know. I have come to tell you. You will probably change your
mind when you have heard."

The elder woman, who was pale and delicate, and yet in spite of all this
bore some resemblance to her strong young son, now led her tall
companion to a seat, and sitting down in front of her, said kindly:

"Take off your hat and gloves, my dear. Try to feel at home with me. I
love my son too dearly to go against him in the most earnest desire of
his life. He has told me nothing, except that you love each other, and
that there is something which you consider an obstacle to your marriage,
but which he utterly refuses to accept as such. Tell me about it, dear,
and let me set your mind at rest."

Christine took off her gloves, because they were a constraint to her,
and now, as she gave her two bare hands into those of Mrs. Noel, she
said calmly:

"You think it is some little thing--that lack of fortune or a difference
in social position is the obstacle. I would not be here now if it were
no more than that--for I do love him!"

The last words broke from her as if involuntarily, and the impulse that
made her utter them sent the swift tears to her eyes. But she forced
them back, and they had no successors.

"And he loves you, too--oh, how he loves you! I wonder if you know."

"Yes, I know--I know it all. He has shown and proved, as well as told
me. We love each other with a complete and perfect love. Even if I have
to give him up nothing can take that away."

"My dear, you need not give him up. I asked my son one question only:
'Is her honor free from stain?'"

"And what was his answer?"

"'Absolutely and utterly. She is as stainless as an angel.' Those were
his very words."

"God bless him for them! God forever bless him!" said Christine. "I
know, in his eyes, it is so."

"In his eyes!" repeated Mrs. Noel. "Is there any doubt that it would be
so in any eyes?"

"Yes," said Christine, "there is great doubt."

It was well for her that she had not hoped too much--well that she had
kept continually in mind the awful value of the revelation she had come
to make. If she had been sanguine and confident the look that now came
over the face of Noel's mother would have been a harder thing to bear.
But Christine was all prepared for it. It wounded, but it did not
surprise nor disturb her perfect calm. There was a distinct change in
the tone