ne, nestled under her
husband's plaid, in the big roomy porch, and looking out at the
starlight? Even practical, prosaic people have their moments of poetry,
when the inner meaning of things seems suddenly revealed to them, when
their outer self drops off and their vision is purged and purified; and
Geraldine, listening to the tinkling beck below, and inhaling the cool
fragrance of the Scotch twilight, creeps nearer to her husband and leans
against his sheltering arm. What does it matter what they talked about?
Mr. Harcourt had not yet forgotten the lover in the husband; perhaps he,
too, felt how sweet was this dual solitude after his busy labours, and
owned in manly fashion his sense of his many blessings.

'How happy those two are!' Audrey once said, a little thoughtfully.

She was sitting on the open moor, and Michael was stretched on the
heather beside her, with Kester at a little distance, buried as usual in
his book; Booty was amusing himself by following rather inquisitively
the slow movements of a bee that was humming over the heather. The three
had been spending a tranquil afternoon together, while Dr. Ross and his
son-in-law had started for a certain long walk, which they declared no
woman ought to attempt.

Audrey was not sorry to be left with Michael. It had been her intention
from the first to devote herself to him; and dearly as she loved these
rambles with her father, she was quite as happy talking to Michael.
Audrey's dangerous gift of sympathy--dangerous because of its lack of
moderation--always enabled her to throw herself into other people's
interests; it gave her positive happiness to see Michael so tranquil and
content, and carrying himself with the air of a man who knows himself to
be anchored in some fair haven after stress of weather; and, indeed,
these were halcyon days to Michael.

He had Audrey's constant companionship, and never had the girl been
sweeter to him. The delicious moorland air, the free life, the absence
of any care or worry, braced his worn nerves and filled his pulses with
a sense of returning health. He felt comparatively well and strong, and
woke each morning with a sense of enjoyment and well-being. Even
Audrey's long absences did not trouble him over-much, for there was
always the pleasure of her return. He and Kester could always amuse
themselves until the time came for him and Geraldine to stroll to their
trysting-place.

'Here we are, Michael!' Audrey would say, with