“My dear,” she said, with a thrill of tenderness in her tones that moved the young wife strangely, “I hope we shall be very good friends, for, although Geoffrey is not my own son, _I want to regard you both as my children_!” Tears sprang into Gladys’ eyes. She lifted her face and kissed the lovely one bending above her. “I am sure I shall love you very, very dearly,” she said. And she did. A tender friendship was begun during that visit, which grew stronger and more devoted with every year, and when, at length, two little twin girls were born to Gladys, she named one Alice and the other Estelle. “For our two mothers,” she said to Geoffrey, with a fond smile. Colonel Mapleson was very proud of his Annie’s boy, but his happiness would never be quite complete, he said, until there could be perfect harmony between his two sons. He hoped that time would bring even that to pass, for Everet had shown great remorse over the deception that he had practiced upon Gladys, and he finally made an humble, though manly, confession to her, and entreated her pardon for the injury he had done her and her husband. But it was not until Geoffrey was called to the death-bed of his father, three years after his marriage, that they really became friends. The making of Colonel Mapleson’s will brought it about, for he consulted his sons about the matter. Geoffrey refused absolutely to be named in it, except simply to receive an affectionate remembrance from his father, and this attitude excited Everet’s wonder. “Why do you do this?” he asked, coldly, and regarding his brother with suspicion. “You are my father’s elder son, and entitled to half of his fortune.” “I do not wish it, believe me,” Geoffrey answered. “I have enough as it is. I can never tell you,” he added, earnestly, “how much more to me than fortune, or any other inheritance, is the _name_ that I can legally claim from our father. Let that be my share—indeed, I _will not_ have anything else.” Everet stood, thoughtful and silent, for several moments. Then, with an evident effort, he looked up in Geoffrey’s face, and said: “I know that you might have _all_, had you chosen to take it, and in that case _I_ would have been a beggar. You have led me to believe—and not by this act alone, either—that there is at least one truly noble, unselfish man in the world. If you do not utterly despise me, will you henceforth recognize me as a friend?” He extended his hand as he spoke, but it shook visibly, and he was very pale. It had not been an easy thing for this proud young Southerner to make such a confession and appeal. Geoffrey grasped it warmly, his manly face all aglow with sincere joy. “Not only my ‘friend,’ Everet, but, my _brother_, in name and in truth,” he answered, heartily; and thus a life-long bond was established between them, which strengthened with every succeeding year, while the desire of Colonel Mapleson’s heart was granted him ere he closed his eyes upon all things earthly.