gure there, "The
Thinker," huge and naked, forbidding in its crouching pose, the heavy chin
on one clenched fist, had brooded down upon him. And in the years that had
been so dark, it had been a figure of despair. Often he had looked up from
his chair and grimly met its frowning gaze. But Roger seldom looked at it
now, and even when it caught his eye it had little effect upon him. It
appeared to brood less darkly. For though he did not think it out, there
was this feeling in his mind:

"There is to be nothing startling in this quiet home of mine, no crashing
deep calamity here."

Only the steadily deepening love between a grown man and a woman mature,
both sensible, strong people with a firm control of their destinies. He
felt so sure of this affair. For now, her tension once relaxed with the
success which had come to her after so many long hard years, a new Deborah
was revealed, more human in her yieldings. She let Allan take her off on
the wildest little sprees uptown and out into the country. To Roger she
seemed younger, more warm and joyous and more free. He loved to hear her
laugh these nights, to catch the glad new tones in her voice.

"There is to be no tragedy here."

So, certain of this union and wistful for all he felt it would bring, Roger
watched its swift approach. And when the news came, he was sure he'd been
right. Because it came so quietly.

"It's settled, dear, at last it's sure. Allan and I are to be married." She
was standing by his chair. Roger reached up and took her hand:

"I'm glad. You'll be very happy, my child."

She bent over and kissed him, and putting his arm around her he drew her
down on the side of his chair.

"Now tell me all your plans," he said. And her answer brought him a deep
peace.

"We're going abroad for the summer--and then if you'll have us we want to
come here." Roger abruptly shut his eyes.

"By George, Deborah," he said, "you do have a way of getting right into the
heart of things!" His arm closed about her with new strength and he felt
all his troubles flying away.

"What a time we'll have, what a rich new life." Her deep sweet voice was a
little unsteady. "Listen, dearie, how quiet it is." And for some moments
nothing was heard but the sober tick-tick of the clock on the mantle. "I
wonder what we're going to hear."

And they thought of new voices in the house.

CHAPTER XIX

Edith was radiant at the news.

"I do hope they're not going to grudge t