Page 162 (1/1)

But this Rose was his youth again, the best part of his life, the part of it that had had all the visions in it and all the hopes How they had dreaether, he and she, before he struck that vein of hed and loved They had lived for a while in the very heart of poetry After the happy days cahts, with her asleep close against his heart, with her when he woke in the ainst his heart, for they hardly moved in their deep, happy sleep It onderful to have it all coainst his--wonderful that she should be able to give him back his youth

"Sweetheart--sweetheart," heto her now in his turn

"Beloved husband," she breathed--the bliss of it--the sheer bliss

Briggs, co went on the chance that Lady Caroline ht be there, was much astonished He had supposed Rose Arbuthnot was a , and he still supposed it; so that he was s, quite clearly and distinctly, for the shock of what he saw in thestartled him so much that for a moment he was shaken free of his own confused absorption

Aloud he said, very red, "Oh I say--I beg your pardon"--and then stood hesitating, and wondering whether he oughtn't to go back to his bedroo they would not have noticed he was there, but when he begged their pardon Rose turned and looked at hi to remember, and Frederick looked at hi his, to mind or to be at all eht that look into a woman's face It was very aard If they didn't etting herself

"Is this one of your friends?" Frederick was able after an instant to ask Rose, whoaardly in front of theaze at hioodwill

"It's Mr Briggs," said Rose, recognizing hi hands, just had ti it was to have a husband when you were abefore the gong sounded, and Lady Caroline would be there in a minute, and he ceased to be able to think at all, andwith its eyes fixed on the door