again; and yet it was for Edgar, and
for Edgar she would have done even more than this. "Have you enjoyed
yourself, Leam, my dear?" asked Mrs. Corfield as they drove home in
the quiet moonlight.

"No--yes," answered Leam, who wished that the little woman would not
talk to her. How could she say that this fiery unrest was enjoyment?
The word was so trivial. But indeed what word could compass the
strange passion that possessed her?--that mingled bliss and anguish of
young love newly born, lately confessed.

"Have you enjoyed yourself, Alick, my boy?" asked the little woman
again.

She had had no love-affairs to disturb her with pleasure or with pain,
and she was full of the mechanism of the evening, and wanted to talk
it over.

"I never enjoy that kind of thing," answered Alick in a voice that was
full of tears.

He had witnessed the scene in the garden, and his heart was sore, both
for himself and for her.

"Oh," said Mrs. Corfield briskly, "it was a pretty sight, and I am
sure every one was happy."

Had she seen Adelaide Birkett sitting before her glass, her face
covered in her hands and shedding hot tears like rain--had she seen
Leam standing by her open window, letting the cool night-air blow upon
her, too feverish and disturbed to rest--she would not have said that
every one had been happy at the ball given in honor of Josephine's
marriage. Perhaps of all those immediately concerned Edgar was the
most content, for now that he had committed himself he had done with
the torment of indecision, and by putting himself finally under the
control of circumstances he seemed to have thrown off the strain of
responsibility.

So the night passed, and the next day came, bringing toil to the
weary, joy to the happy, wealth to the rich, and sorrow to the
sad--bringing Edgar to Leam, and Leam to the deeper consciousness and
confession of her love.

CHAPTER XXXV.

DUNASTON CASTLE.

It was not a bad idea to continue the wedding-gayeties of yesterday
evening by a picnic to-day. People are always more or less out of
sorts after a ball, and a day spent in the open air soothes the
feverish and braces up the limp. Wherefore the rectory gave a picnic
to blow away the lingering vapors of last evening at the Hill, and the
place of meeting chosen was Dunaston Castle.

Leam had of course been invited with the rest. Had she been a
different person, and more in accord with the general sentiments of
the neighborhood than