gdalen!" he said; "whenever you speak of my old friend and neighbor
again, bear this in mind: Mr. Clare has just laid me under an obligation
which I shall remember gratefully to the end of my life."

He stopped suddenly after saying those remarkable words. Seeing that he
had startled her, his natural kindness prompted him instantly to
soften the reproof, and to end the suspense from which she was plainly
suffering. "Give me a kiss, my love," he resumed; "and I'll tell you in
return that Mr. Clare has said-YES."

She attempted to thank him; but the sudden luxury of relief was too much
for her. She could only cling round his neck in silence. He felt her
trembling from head to foot, and said a few words to calm her. At
the altered tones of his master's voice, Snap's meek tail re-appeared
fiercely from between his legs; and Snap's lungs modestly tested his
position with a brief, experimental bark. The dog's quaintly appropriate
assertion of himself on his old footing was the interruption of all
others which was best fitted to restore Magdalen to herself. She caught
the shaggy little terrier up in her arms and kissed _him_ next. "You
darling," she exclaimed, "you're almost as glad as I am!" She turned
again to her father, with a look of tender reproach. "You frightened me,
papa," she said. "You were so unlike yourself."

"I shall be right again to-morrow, my dear. I am a little upset to-day."

"Not by me?"

"No, no."

"By something you have heard at Mr. Clare's?"

"Yes--nothing you need alarm yourself about; nothing that won't wear
off by to-morrow. Let me go now, my dear; I have a letter to write; and
I want to speak to your mother."

He left her and went on to the house. Magdalen lingered a little on the
lawn, to feel all the happiness of her new sensations--then turned away
toward the shrubbery to enjoy the higher luxury of communicating them.
The dog followed her. She whistled, and clapped her hands. "Find him!"
she said, with beaming eyes. "Find Frank!" Snap scampered into the
shrubbery, with a bloodthirsty snarl at starting. Perhaps he had
mistaken his young mistress and considered himself her emissary in
search of a rat?

Meanwhile, Mr. Vanstone entered the house. He met his wife slowly
descending the stairs, and advanced to give her his arm. "How has it
ended?" she asked, anxiously, as he led her to the sofa.

"Happily--as we hoped it would," answered her husband. "My old friend
has justified my opinion o