tion which in my wildest dreams of home I had no right to expect."
He stopped for an instant, much moved.

Sir Nathaniel answered softly, laying his hand on the youth's shoulder.

"You are right, my boy; quite right. That is the proper way to look at
it. And I may tell you that we old men, who have no children of our own,
feel our hearts growing warm when we hear words like those."

Then Adam hurried on, speaking with a rush, as if he wanted to come to
the crucial point.

"Mr. Watford had not come in, but Lilla and Mimi were at home, and they
made me feel very welcome. They have all a great regard for my uncle. I
am glad of that any way, for I like them all--much. We were having tea,
when Mr. Caswall came to the door, attended by the negro. Lilla opened
the door herself. The window of the living-room at the farm is a large
one, and from within you cannot help seeing anyone coming. Mr. Caswall
said he had ventured to call, as he wished to make the acquaintance of
all his tenants, in a less formal way, and more individually, than had
been possible to him on the previous day. The girls made him
welcome--they are very sweet girls those, sir; someone will be very happy
some day there--with either of them."

"And that man may be you, Adam," said Mr. Salton heartily.

A sad look came over the young man's eyes, and the fire his uncle had
seen there died out. Likewise the timbre left his voice, making it sound
lonely.

"Such might crown my life. But that happiness, I fear, is not for me--or
not without pain and loss and woe."

"Well, it's early days yet!" cried Sir Nathaniel heartily.

The young man turned on him his eyes, which had now grown excessively
sad.

"Yesterday--a few hours ago--that remark would have given me new hope--new
courage; but since then I have learned too much."

The old man, skilled in the human heart, did not attempt to argue in such
a matter.

"Too early to give in, my boy."

"I am not of a giving-in kind," replied the young man earnestly. "But,
after all, it is wise to realise a truth. And when a man, though he is
young, feels as I do--as I have felt ever since yesterday, when I first
saw Mimi's eyes--his heart jumps. He does not need to learn things. He
knows."

There was silence in the room, during which the twilight stole on
imperceptibly. It was Adam who again broke the silence.

"Do you know, uncle, if we have any second sight in our family?"

"No, not that I ever