nded to
fly.

"Come in, old man," cried Eugene, "and congratulate me!"

"Oh! you have fixed it, have you?"

"We have. Don't you think we shall do very well together?"

Bob stood regarding them, his hands in his pockets.

"Yes," he said at length, "I think you will. There's a pair of you."

And he could never be persuaded to explain this utterance. But it is to
be feared that the thought underlying it was one not over-complimentary
to the happy lovers. And Bob knew them both very well.

CHAPTER XV.

An End and a Beginning.

When Sir Roderick Ayre returned to England, he had to undergo much
questioning concerning his dealings with Stafford. It had somehow become
known throughout the little group of people interested in Stafford's
abortive love-affair that he and Ayre had held conference together, and
the impression was that Ayre's counsel had, to some extent at least,
shaped Stafford's resolution and conduct. Ayre did not talk freely on
the matter. He fenced with the idle inquiries of the Territon brothers;
he calmed Mrs. Lane's solicitude with soothing words; he put Morewood
off with a sneer at the transitoriness of love-affairs in general. To
Eugene he spoke more openly, and did not hesitate to congratulate
himself on the part he had taken in reconciling Stafford to life and
work. Eugene cordially agreed with his point of view; and Ayre felt that
he was in a fair way to be rid of the matter, when one day Claudia
sprang upon him with a new assault.

He had come to see her, and tender hearty congratulations. He felt that
the successful issue of Eugene's suit was in some degree his own work,
and he was well pleased that his two favorites should have taken to one
another. Moreover, he reaped intellectual satisfaction from the
fulfillment of a prophecy made when its prospect of realization seemed
very scant. Claudia admitted her own pleasure in her engagement, and did
not attempt to deny that her affection had dated from a period when by
all the canons of propriety she should have had no thoughts of Eugene.

"We are not responsible for our emotions," she said, laughing; "and you
will admit I behaved with the utmost decorum."

"About your usual decorum," he replied. "The situation was difficult."

"It was indeed," she sighed. "Eugene was so very--well, reckless. But I
want to ask you something."

"Say on."

"I heard about your interview with Father Stafford; what did you say to
him?"

"Of course E