“Oh, I want a great deal, grandfather. When I die I want to know that Carry is provided for; she was so kind to me in the old days. She would not take money from you,—she would not take it from me—but when I am dead, if I leave it to her, she would, I think, take it. It would make me very happy, grandfather.” “Yes, yes, my boy,” the old man said, wiping his eyes hastily, “I will transfer an amount to your name, and then you can do with it what you like. I will write up to-day to my broker to sell out. How much shall I say, James?—£5000, and to invest it in stock in your name. Will that do?” A silent pressure of the hand was the answer. “I do not think I shall live to be of age, grandfather, but you will not dispute my will,” and he smiled contentedly. Another two days, and it is the eve of their leaving Torquay. They have all gone down to the rocks. Frank, Kate, and Captain Bradshaw, are engaged in assisting Charley to hunt for small crabs. Alice Heathcote and Arthur Prescott are sitting a little apart. “Of course we shall see a great deal of you in London, Mr. Prescott? Frank and Katie are going to stay with uncle till they find a house to suit them.” “I will come as often as I can, Miss Heathcote; but I must go back in earnest to work now. I have been having a long holiday.” “It has been a pleasant one, has it not?” Alice asked shyly. “Very pleasant—too pleasant—I shall have hard work to put it out of my head, and to settle down to work again in my chambers.” “I have been thinking, Mr. Prescott, that now we have settled into our old friendly terms I must go back to my girl’s habit and drop the Mister. Uncle, and Frank, and Katie, and every one call you so; so in future I shall say Prescott.” Alice spoke jestingly, but she coloured. “Thank you very much, Miss Heathcote—thank you very much. But you are mistaken, Kate calls me Arthur.” Alice hesitated. This time the colour flooded her whole face, and she said in a very low voice— “But you call her by her Christian name. I cannot call you Arthur, unless you call me Alice.” Alice did not look up when she spoke. She knew what she had said: she was offering herself to him. She knew he would not ask her. A rush of happiness came into Prescott’s heart. Was this great prize he had loved and waited for all these years his after all? He took her hand. “Alice, I have loved you ever since I knew you. I loved you with a boy’s adoration: I have loved you with a man’s love ever since. I have never ventured to hope until lately—never even dreamt that you could return it. Is this great happiness mine after all? Oh, Alice, do you really love me?” A minute afterwards Charley ran up to his mamma. “Mammy, I want to whisper.” Kate lifted him up. “Mammy, Uncle Arthur is very naughty. I saw him kiss Aunt Alice.”