On the whole, it was rather an eerie thing to have one's 'haunts' in such a rambling, half-shut up, untenanted old house. One could imagine the loneliness which had followed her about sometimes. Dane took the effect, standing there in the Belvidere; however his words were a very practical question—'why his picture should take her side of the pannel?' 'If you look at the order in which the others stand, you will see it is _your_ side,' said Wych Hazel. 'I put mine there in a mood,—when I meant to be head always.' 'Two heads are better than one,' said Dan carelessly. 'Yes—I may be good for consultation.'—She stood there, half behind him, her hand laid lightly on his shoulder, looking off with a smile in her eyes toward Morton Hollow. Had he not always had his own way, already? 'Olaf,' she said suddenly, 'if I had been the Duchess May, what would you have done?' 'I'll think of that,' said he laughing, 'and tell you when I come home to-night. For I must go, Hazel.' It was a long day before Rollo got home again. Not spent entirely alone by Hazel, for Dr. Arthur came to see his patient, and she had both gentlemen to luncheon. Mr. Heinert proved himself a very genial and somewhat original companion. If he had ever been disheartened on account of his illness, that was all past now; and the simplicity, vivacity, and general love of play in his nature made a piquant contrast with Dr. Arthur's staid humour and grave manliness. He talked of Rollo too, whom he loved well, it was plain; he talked of Göttingen; he talked in short till Arthur ordered him back to his rooms and forbade him to come out of them again even for dinner that day. And then, as the sharp spring day was growing dusk, the clatter of the horses' hoof beats was heard again before the door. Dan had got home. He and Hazel had dinner alone; with endless things to talk about, in the Hollow and at home; and after dinner the evening was given to one of Doré's great works of illustration, which Hazel had not seen. Slowly they turned it over, going from one print to the next; pausing with long critical discussions, reading of text, comparison of schools, and illustrations of the illustrations, drawn from reading and travel and the study of human nature and the knowledge of art. A long evening of high communion, wholly unhelped by love-making, although it wanted, and they knew it wanted, no other beside themselves to make it perfect. Perhaps some consciousness of this was in Hazel's mind, as they stood together over the books after they had risen to leave them. 'Sir Marmaduke,' she said suddenly, 'would it tend to your comfort—or discomfort—to have people here?' 'Both,' said Dane laconically. 'I foresee that you will live in a mixed state of mind then!' said Hazel. 'I am afraid I shall have to be asking people all the time.' 'Whom do you want to ask?' Rollo enquired in some surprise. 'Guess! I should like to get your idea of me,' she said smiling.