He drew her along to the opening of the vista she had
passed before, and pointed to the mansion beyond, now glistening in the
setting sun. "That is my home--and yours."

"Oh, Paul!"

"I bought it a year ago, but have been busy with alterations and
improvements, so only came to live here within the last few weeks. I was
so tired of a wandering life, Leo; and though I had only the vaguest
hope that you--but somehow hope never quite deserted me."

"Then the strangeness is on our part. That _we_ should come to where
_you_ were!"

"You had really no suspicion, Leo?" He looked at her with laughter in
his eyes. "Sue kept her own counsel well;" added Paul demurely.

He and Sue had been in communication from--from precisely the date at
which he took up his residence at Mere Hall. He had left for Mere Hall
the day after he last saw Sue in London.

"You saw Sue in London?" She could scarcely speak for astonishment.

"Several times. The Fosters, my brother and his wife, put me up to it.
Your sister is good and kind and sensible--mine is both the first, but
not exactly the last, bless her for it! Her very lack of what is
commonly admired, proved my salvation. She first extracted the truth
from me, and then went straight for Sue, and hammered it into her that
there was no earthly reason why we two should not be made happy now. She
could not endure to see my long face, she said;--and though I gathered
that Sue was somewhat startled by her abruptness--for Charlotte is not
famed for tact--eventually the two understood each other, and I was
brought on to the stage."

"Was that," cried Leo, with a sudden flash of memory, "was that one day,
oh, it must have been that day!--Sue was so odd and unlike herself. I
wondered what could have excited her in a private view of rather stupid
water-colours, and why she began all at once to say she longed for the
country? Were you in the water-colour gallery?"

He was, and all was explained.

"Coo-coo," came the plaintive note of a dove from the leafy shades close
by--but it cooed unheard. The streamlet splashed on unheeded. The sun
went slowly down behind the mountain-tops unseen. And still they sat
on....

CHAPTER XIX.

EPILOGUE.

About a year after Paul and Leonore were married, they received a visit
from Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Purcell, travelling in all the state that
money could buy and ingenuity devise.

Val was glorious: even prouder of his new wife's cleverness than he