After one searching look at Owen's face, the child disappeared swiftly and silently. In less than two minutes a light footstep was heard descending the stairs at headlong speed. The door opened, and May, almost breathless with haste and surprise, half stumbled into the dark room, and he caught her in his arms. "Is it really you?" she exclaimed, looking up at him with one hand on his shoulder, and the other pushing back the hair from her forehead. Owen took the hand which rested on his shoulder, and pressed it to his lips. "It is very really I," he said, with his eyes fixed on her face in a tender rapture. "It seems like a dream! So unexpected!" "Unexpected! Why, you summoned me, and of course I am here!" "Yes, it really does seem as if my note had been a spell to bring you across the seas." "'Over seas, over mountains, Love will find out the way!' It doesn't alter that truth, that I happened to arrive in England only last night." "Only last night! How strange it seems! And you never let me know----" "Darling, by the time it was quite certain what day I should be in England, a letter would not have outstripped me. I got my orders by telegram. Oh, my love, what a long, long time it seems since I looked on your dear face!" "Tell me all about yourself, Owen. I want to hear everything." "So you shall. But you must explain first the meaning of your note. Tell me now--sit down here--what has happened?" "I have so many things to say, I scarcely know where to begin!" "Begin with what was in your mind when you wrote that note." May sat down close to him, and began in a low voice, little above a whisper, and with some confusion, to narrate the story of Mr. Bragg's wooing, and its effect on her aunt and uncle. As he listened, Owen's face expressed the most unbounded amazement. "Oh, it can't be!" he exclaimed. "It's impossible! There must be some mistake!" May laughed, though the tears were in her eyes. "You are not very civil," she said. "Nobody else seemed to think it impossible." "But _old Bragg_!" repeated Owen incredulously. "Perhaps he was temporarily insane, but I really think he meant it," answered May, blushing so bewitchingly, that Owen could not resist the temptation to kiss the glowing cheek so close to his lips. At this point, Harold called out in a resolute tone, "You mustn't kiss May." The lovers started. They had forgotten the children--had forgotten everything in the world except each other. But the two little boys had followed May into the room, and had been witnessing the interview in dumb astonishment. It was characteristic that they now held each other by the hand, as though seeking support from union, in the presence of this stranger, who might, they instinctively felt, turn out to be a common enemy. "Halloa!" said Owen. "Here's another rival. Their name seems to be Legion." "It was Harold who told me you were here," said May.