to stay here
and defend the women I love?"

Sarah shook her head. "It is beyond your power, Ulfar. If Porthos were
on earth again, or Amadis of Gaul, they might have happy and useful
careers in handling as they deserve the maligners of good, quiet
women. But the men of this era!--which of them durst lift the stone
that the hand without sin is permitted to cast?"

So they talked the night away, drifting gradually from the unpleasant
initial subject to Ulfar's plan of travel and the far-off prospect of
his return. And in the gray, cold dawn he bade them farewell, and they
watched him until he vanished in the mists rolling down the mountain.
Then they kissed each other,--a little, sad kiss of congratulation,
wet with tears; they had won their desire, but their victory had left
them weeping. Alas! it is the very condition of success that every
triumph must be baptized with somebody's tears.

This event, beginning in such a trifle as an almost accidental visit
of Aspatria to the vicar, was the line sharply dividing very different
lives. Nothing in Seat-Ambar was ever quite the same after it. William
Anneys, indeed, quickly perceived and acknowledged his fault, and the
reconciliation was kind and complete; but Aspatria had taken a step
forward, and crossed clearly that bound which divides girlhood from
womanhood. Unconsciously she assumed a carriage that Will felt
compelled to respect, and a tone was in her voice he did not care to
bluff and contradict. He never again ordered her to remain silent or
to leave his presence. A portion of his household authority had passed
from him, both as regarded Aspatria and Brune; and he felt himself to
be less master than he had formerly been.

Perhaps this was one reason of the growing frequency of his visits to
Frostham. There he was made much of, deferred to, and all his little
fancies flattered and obeyed. Will knew he was the most important
person in the world to Alice Frostham; and he knew, also, that he only
shared Aspatria's heart with Ulfar Fenwick. Men like the whole heart,
and nothing less than the whole heart; hence Alice's influence grew
steadily all through the summer days, full to the brim of happy labour
and reasonable love. As early as the haymaking Will told Aspatria that
Alice was coming to Seat-Ambar as its mistress; and when the harvest
was gathered in, the wedding took place. It was as noisily jocund an
affair as Aspatria's had been silent and sorrowful; and Alice