the door, he
paused in the hall to lay his hand on her arm, and inquire in a voice
unusually tremulous--

"You have often spoken to me about your `Govies,' as you call them.
Was--was _She_ one of the number?"

Betty murmured an assent, guiltily conscious of the criticisms which had
accompanied the references. Was he about to take her to task for all
the scathing remarks she had made on the subject of his old love? But
no--the grip tightened on her arm, and he said gently--

"God bless you, my dear, for all your kindness! May it be meted out to
you a hundred times over in your hour of need. A Governesses' Home--
Alice Beveridge! And Terence Digby living in the lap of luxury! Well,
well! Twenty years, my dear, since we last met--I was over forty, but
she was a mere girl. A beautiful girl,--I never saw her equal, and the
years have not touched her. I should have known her anywhere. She is
marvellously unchanged!"

Betty gazed at him dumbly, and there came to her at that moment, for the
first time in her life, a realisation of the deep, abiding love which
sees beneath the surface, and knows neither change nor time. She had no
inclination to laugh at the old man's blindness; rather she felt towards
him reverence and admiration. Happy Miss Beveridge! To one loyal heart
at least she would remain always young, always beautiful. Happy Terence
Digby, who had kept his ideal untouched!

When Betty retraced her steps to the drawing-room a few minutes later,
another surprise was in waiting, for behold, Miss Beveridge sobbing,
with her hands over her face, while Mrs Trevor patted her tenderly on
the shoulder. She looked across the room and shook her head at her
young daughter.

"Go away, Betty dear, please! Leave us alone," she said gently, and
Betty tottered across the hall and collapsed in a heap on the nearest
chair, positively faint with excitement. The first real romance with
which she had come in contact,--and behold! The leading characters were
General Digby and Miss Beveridge! Wonders would never cease!

The next afternoon the General appeared once more, and had a long _tete-
a-tete_ with Mrs Trevor.

"I am sorry to be such a trouble to you, madam, but you have no one to
blame but yourself, for you have been so patient and forbearing with me
during the last six months, that I feel as if there were no limits to
your kindness. I went to that Governesses' Home to-day--for that matter
I passed it half