The boys did not seem to understand at all that with their friend's going the pleasant friendship must come to an end. Aline postponed telling them so till he should be gone, and there was a sadness in hearing them make their plans for the future which should include him. At such times he would say nothing, only look his pitiful appeal at Aline, who would refuse to answer his eyes. At the last he made a last appeal that we should not exclude him. "You could only come by concealing it from Sir Rupert," she made answer. "Don't you see that we couldn't endure that?" A spark of hope leaped into his eyes. "But if my grandfather were willing?" "You don't know him," said Aline, "or you would not think it possible." He went off in the station fly one day, with his beautiful Red Rover following, led by Lanty M'Goldrick from the village. As we turned into the house after watching him till the last glimpse faded in the long line of the avenue, we felt as sad as if someone had died. Only the boys still thought they were to keep their friend. Aline told them afterwards, and at first they were sulky and inclined to be rebellious. Presently they saw she was right, and came back to their own sunny selves. "Why, after all," said Hugh hopefully, "the old duffer won't live for ever." "Any night," added Donald, "he and James Gaskin might burn up old Angry and themselves together." "Donald!" cried Aline, shocked. "I mean, of course, after Harry had had time to get out," said the culprit innocently. The twins didn't say anything; it wasn't their way; but I think they missed their friend very much. They went about for some days, a forlorn-looking little pair, with their hands clasped tighter than ever. They were not quite consoled till a day came that brought a beautiful box of games, and a pair of most ingenious sister-dolls, which could only be from Mr. De Lacy. Hugh got a new gun and Donald a fishing-rod on the same momentous day. They wanted to write and thank their friend, but Aline thought it better not, as she was not sure of the letter reaching the right hands. He had said he would expect no answer, in the brief note he had written to Aline from Angry, and which had ended: "Tell Miss Hilda and Miss Esther that I shall never forget them." After that there was silence. We often wondered how things were going with him, and if he were getting well in that gray old house that frowned ever blacker and blacker in the gorge of the mountain. But we had no means of knowing, and our lives gradually went back to their old uneventfulness. I often laughed at myself about my fear as to Esther's heart. Why, she of the whole family missed young De Lacy least. She never, like the rest of us, wondered what he was doing, or if he had forgotten us. But this would not have set my mind at rest, only that the strange beauty which had come to her of late seemed to ripen and glow more, day by day. With her plainly it was no case of