"

Evidently Helen had no idea of the plans for her future which were being
talked about in St. Andrews. Had he? No one could even speculate with
such an exceedingly reserved person. He retired behind his newspaper,
and said not a single word.

Nevertheless, there was no cloud in the atmosphere. Every body was used
to Mr. Roy's silence in company. And he never troubled any body, not
even the children, with either a gloomy look or a harsh word. He was so
comfortable to live with, so unfailingly sweet and kind.

Although there was a strange atmosphere of peace in the cottage that
evening, though nobody seemed to do any thing or say very much. Now and
then Mr. Roy read aloud bits out of his endless newspapers--he had a
truly masculine mania for newspapers, and used to draw one after another
out of his pockets, as endless as a conjurer's pocket-handkerchiefs. And
he liked to share their contents with any body that would listen; though
I am afraid nobody did listen much to-night except Miss Williams, who sat
beside him at her sewing, in order to get the benefit of the same lamp.
And between his readings he often turned and looked at her, her bent
head, her smooth soft hair, her busy hands.

Especially after one sentence, out of the "Varieties" of some Fife
newspaper. He had begun to read it, then stopped suddenly, but finished
it. It consisted only of a few words: _"'Young love is passionate, old
love is faithful; but the very tenderest thing in all this world is a
love revived.'_ That is true."

He said only those three words, in a very low, quiet voice, but Fortune
heard. His look she did not see, but she felt it--even as a person long
kept in darkness might feel a sunbeam strike along the wall, making it
seem possible that there might be somewhere in the earth such a thing as
day.

About nine P.M. the lovers in the window recess discovered that the haar
was all gone, and that it was a most beautiful moonlight night; full
moon, the very night they had planned to go in a body to the top of St.
Regulus tower.

"I suppose they must," said Mr. Roy to Miss Williams; adding, "Let the
young folks make the most of their youth; it never will come again."

"No."

"And you and I must go too. It will be more _comme il faut_, as people
say."

So, with a half-regretful look at the cozy fire, Mr. Roy marshaled the
lively party, Janetta and David, Helen and the two boys; engaging to get
them the key of that silen