'But I suppose he will presume to do so in time?' 'I have no doubt of it, dearest mamma,' replied Eveline, attempting to kiss her; but my Lady Aberfeldie was in no fit of effusion, and coldly tendered her cheek. 'Was not his escape miraculous, mamma?' 'I admit that it was; and now----' 'Just learn this, dearest mamma; I married a short time ago to please you, and, now that God in His goodness has spared and restored Evan to me, I shall marry next to please myself.' 'It is very strange how some girls get it into their head that there is a special virtue in a man because he is poor.' 'Evan isn't poor now,' replied Eveline, stoutly. 'Stratherroch is nearly free, and, if it were not, I have enough for two.' 'Your jointure dies with you,' said Lady Aberfeldie, sourly. 'Dear Evan will never think of that, mamma; and long before _that_ day comes every acre, every tuft of heather in Stratherroch will be disencumbered and free.' 'You have schemed out the whole programme. But as your father's daughter, and the widow of Sir Paget Puddicombe, Baronet, you are entitled to look higher.' 'I don't want to do so, mamma,' said Eveline, coyly and laughingly; 'you see, it is only a case of "heaping up riches, and ye know not who shall gather them."' Eveline was in a kind of triumphant and defiant mood, such as her mother had never seen her in before, for she added, 'The whirligig of time brings curious things to pass, so Lady Puddicombe will be Mrs. Cameron of Stratherroch after all.' So the days stole on pleasantly by the Lake of Timsah. Allan grew well rapidly, and, now that she was free and under better auspices, Evan Cameron daily discovered in Eveline some new trait of character that rendered her more worthy of his love and esteem--or indicative that those qualities of passion and tenderness that first excited his interest in her had ripened under all she had undergone--the sorrow and separation that had tried and purified their mutual love, as gold is tried by fire. We have said that the reconciliation of Allan and Olive came about, and rapidly, too. 'Only love me, Allan,' whispered the girl, as she nestled her sweet face in his neck; 'only love me as you did in the old days at Dundargue, and I shall be so happy. Without your love I could not live.' 'By your strange actions you destroyed my faith in you, darling--and yet I loved you still. Oh, think over it all, and consider if you did not try me sorely, for there was a powerful appearance of deception that was unworthy of us both.' Her beautiful eyes were moist with tears; her hands stole into his, and he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately, while a torrent of thankfulness and joy overwhelmed her heart. 'And so that wretched photo was the key to your apparently inexplicable conduct?' 'Yes,' replied Olive, weeping, while Allan kissed away her tears. 'Why did you not confide freely in me?'