Of course, he was at the little cottage early in the morning, unnecessarily early, perhaps; but he could wait no longer. He found Jim in the garden. “Congratulate me!” he cried joyously. “She is mine at last!” “Thank the Lord!” replied Jim piously. “I do congratulate you heartily; but I knew she wanted to marry you all the time.” Conway did not stop to hear him. Going into the kitchen, he found Norine--alone. She met him gladly. And as they stood there, heart to heart, her soft arms around him, her tender lips pressed close to his, the joy of possession filled his heart, and he was at peace. Of course, there must be some alloy to all this happiness. He must wait yet another year, Jim protested; but Conway could not; he was too happy. She wished it, though, and he would wait. When the carriage came at last, and the brother and sister had left the little farm, Conway contrasted this with their last parting. The little cottage was desolate again. The chill winds of autumn blew through the leafless branches of the trees. The Higginses were as disconsolate as before. But to Lester Conway the world was altogether different. CHAPTER XXV. ELWELL’S POPULARITY. Elwell manfully maintained his word, given to Peter Coleman, and the results were at once apparent. Perhaps, when he came to fully understand his dangerous position, he was not sorry to keep so clever an adviser as Peter near him all the time. He fully understood the danger of his situation now, and could find no possible means of relief. He must trust altogether to chance, and chance might wreck him at any moment. Luckily he had never had any confidants. Peter was the only one beside himself who really knew anything; and really when he came to consider it, there was very little chance for any one else to find out. He had never been able to explain that meeting with Norine in the hotel corridor, and at this distance of time it seemed impossible. How could this simple country girl, who had never left that little farm, but to accompany him on that short bridal tour, be alone in a fashionable and expensive New York hotel? It was impossible. In all probability it had been the result of his feverish imagination, or he had been misled in that dark corridor by some chance resemblance. At all events, it was beyond all the probability of chance that she should ever find her way to this little Michigan town. And even if she did, there was no one but himself and Peter that knew his divorce to be fraudulent. It would be plenty good enough to impose on those simple-minded country people. And so he went on and hedged himself around with his fancied chances for security.