In twenty more minutes he had reached the railway station just as the cars were about to start, and in three hours he was at Hyde Hall and standing in the presence of Estelle!—she looking so beautiful and happy! With the old chivalric enthusiasm of devotion, he dropped, at once, upon his knee, and raised her hand to his lips, saying— “For four years I have hoped and waited for one word from you, and at last, beloved, you have written—‘Come,’ and I am at your feet, as I said, with an unchanged heart!” “But I,” she said, deeply blushing, while she held both hands to raise him—“I, my Lord, have not an unchanged heart! for longer than four years I have loved you more than woman’s tongue may tell—and never more, than at the hour in which we bade farewell, as I thought, forever!” “I know it, beloved! I knew it _then_! knew it _always_! I never doubted it! Could I be deceived in the dear heart of the woman I loved! No! and that was the secret of my patience!” he replied, taking his seat on the sofa by her side. “And yet you never inquired, and do not even now inquire, why, without explanation and without hope, I sent you from my presence, and why now, without apparent reason, I summon you back!” she said, as a shade of the old sadness fell upon her beautiful face. “Your motives, dearest, were, and are your own. Not until your spirit move you to do so, shall you give them to me! I have full confidence in you, beautiful Stella!” “_Confidence! oh my God?_” she exclaimed in a low, deep, thrilling tone. “Why, what is the matter, dearest?” She looked up suddenly, a smile of worshiping love, breaking like sunlight over her dark face, and said— “Nothing, nothing my lord! but that all your thoughts and feelings are so elevated beyond your poor Estelle’s! And yet she would almost choose it so! for could she be an angel, she would wish you to be something far higher—a god!” “Sweet enthusiast! moderate your aspirations, or the world and its people will disappoint you! Be not an idolater; worship only God, my Stella.” Such was their meeting! Yet, occasionally, throughout the interview, a sudden shadow like the recurrence of a painful thought, would fall upon her bright face and then pass as it came. They were engaged, and within a few days the marriage was announced to take place on the first of May.