In the old-fashioned garden, or pleasaunce to the right of the house, bees were humming at their work, and gay butterflies dancing over the lavender-bushes and large trees of York and Lancaster roses, which made the air sweet with their fragrance. A wide gravel-path divided the pleasaunce, and there a pair of happy lovers were pacing, forgetful of everything but their own happiness. Presently one of Griselda's boys left her side, and ran across the grass to a little gate which led from a copse, and bounded the lawn on that side. "Father!" the boy exclaimed; and his brother followed him, echoing the joyful cry. Griselda also rose, and went across the lawn with the same graceful movement which had distinguished her in the Bath assemblies of old. "I hope the gig came to meet the coach, dear husband?" she said. "It must have been a hot walk from Louth." He put his arm round her, and kissed the mother first, and then the little daughter, of whom he was so proud, saying: "Yes; I left the gig at the corner; and walked across the field. How delightful the country seems after London! and as to the boys, they seem in rude health. Have you taken care of your mother, William and Alex?" "Yes; and we have said our Latin verbs every day, and done our parsing and spelling out of the grammars and dictionaries," said Will. "I hate spelling," said Alex; "but I love sums." "That's good. Your godfather was asking how you got on with that branch of your education. Your godfather is a great man, boys; you may be proud to feel he is your godfather." "Was it very charming at Slough, Leslie?" "It was, indeed; and wonderful! 'The sweeping of the sky' is a nightly business; and the wife is as much devoted to it as the sister. You must take the journey to London ere long, my dearest, and see for yourself. The twenty-foot Newtonian telescope is a marvel; and there sits Caroline, as of old, writing down calculations and observations. I went to bed at one o'clock; but even on that night William Herschel had discovered four or five new nebulae." "And he is now quite a great man?" "Great in everyone's eyes but his own. Royal favour has not turned his head, nor Caroline's either. She has sent your boys a case of little mathematical instruments, and she says you are to go to Slough next visit I pay." "And little Phyllis, too, father?" "Yes, when she is old enough. So you have two happy people still here, I see?" "Yes. Brian got an extra week's holiday from the law office at Bristol; and I knew you would not mind. Mother is so pleased to have him here." At this moment Brian Bellis and Norah awoke to the fact that they were not the only people in that flowery garden; and Nora, now a beautiful girl of nineteen, leaving Brian's arm, came springing to her brother-in-law, with a face flushed with welcome, to receive her accustomed kiss. Then from the low French window at the side of the house Mrs. Travers appeared, and greeted her son with a tender welcome.