But Bootles did not see sending the child to be quietly stolen away. He forgot quite that since Gilchrist had not left his widow a farthing she would probably be now no better able to provide for the child than she had been when compelled to cast her baby upon the father’s mercy. Therefore, immediately after lunch, he drove down to the hotel from which the note had been written. Yes; Mrs. Gilchrist was within—this way. And then—then—Bootles, with the child fast holding his hand, was shown into a room, and there they found—_Miss Grace_! The truth flashed into his mind instantly. She rose hurriedly, and he saw that she was clad in black, but was not in widow’s dress. She fell upon her knees and almost smothered Mignon with kisses. “Mignon! Mignon!” she cried. “Mignon has been very kind to Bootles,” Mignon explained, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “My Mignon! my baby!” the mother sobbed. Bootles watched them—the two things he loved best on earth. “Have you nothing to say to me?” he asked at last. “What shall I say?” She had risen from her knees, and now moved shyly away. “You might say,” said Bootles, severely, “that you are very sorry that you, a married woman, deceived me and stole my heart away. You might say that, for one thing.” “But I am not sorry,” cried Mignon’s mother, audaciously. “Then you might take a leaf out of Mignon’s book, and say, as she says when I have a headache, ‘Mignon _loves_ Bootles.’” [Picture: Bootles watched them—the two things he loved best on earth] “I wreally do think,” remarked Lacy to the fellows, when the astounding news had been told and freely discussed, “that now we must let that poor, malicious, cwrooked-minded chap wrest in his gwrave in peace. Seems to me,” he continued, with his most reflective air, “that—er—Solomon was wright, and said a vewry wise thing, when he said, ‘Love laughs at locksmiths.’” “Solomon!” cried a voice, amid a shout of laughter. “Oh, wasn’t it Solomon?” questioned Lacy, mildly. “It’s of no consequence; some one said it. But only think of that poor devil spending his last moments wraising a barwrier to keep mother and child apart, and old Bootles fulfils all the conditions to the letter, and bwreaks them all in the spirit by—marwriage!” * * * * * THE END.