"He must have been in a good humor. It was strange his being out to-night. The Hall is full of people from town; but it would not matter to him if he wanted to ride, though the prince himself were there; he would go. And my picture?" "Did him justice, uncle. Yes, he is very handsome; he wore a loose velvet coat to-night of a dark purple; I did not know gentlemen wore such colors now." "A smoking coat," he explained. "I think I can see him. No doubt he had obeyed the impulse of the moment--had jumped up and left them there at the Hall--saddled his own horse and tore away across the river. Well, you have probably seen the last of him for some time, Stella. He rarely stays at the Hall more than a day or two. Town has too great a charm for him." Stella's lips opened, and she was about to reply that he had suddenly resolved to stay, but something stopped the words on her lips. Presently there was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Penfold came in with the candles. "You have given me quite a turn, Miss Stella," she said, with a smile of reproach; "I thought you were lost. Your room is quite ready now, miss." Stella went up to the old man and kissed him. "Good-night, uncle," she murmured. "Good-night, my child," he said, his eyes dwelling on her tenderly, but with something of the bewildered look clouding them; "Good-night, and happy dreams for this, your first night at home." "At home!" murmured Stella; "at home! You are very good to me, uncle," and she kissed him again. Mrs. Penfold had done wonders in so short a time permitted her, and Stella found herself standing alone in a tiny room, modestly but comfortably--oh, so comfortably!--furnished, with its white bed and its old-fashioned dimity curtains framing the lattice window. As her gaze wandered round the room, her glorious eyes grew moist. It was all so sudden, so sweet a contrast to the gaunt, bare room, which, for a weary year she had shared with a score of girls as miserable as herself; so sudden that she could scarcely believe it was real.