“Sir William Heath, Rupert’s guardian, _my father_!” said the bewildered girl, looking utterly dazed by the startling information. “Yes, darling. It is a romance in real life, is it not?—and one which will end more happily than such romances usually do,” was the smiling reply, although there were tears upon the grateful woman’s cheeks. “That accounts for a great deal,” said Virgie, musingly. “Such as what, for instance?” “Your strange actions the other evening when Rupert told you who his guardian was.” “Yes; I utterly lost my self-possession then. It was an unlooked-for shock, and I feared that matters were going to be terribly mixed when you came to marry Rupert. But, darling, we must not keep your father waiting; he is longing for you. Remember, he has never yet looked upon the face of his own child, to recognize her as such.” “But, mamma,” Virgie began, a startling thought coming to her, “you are—you are not——” Then she faltered and stopped, her face covered with confusion. “‘I am, and I am not,’ is rather an ambiguous statement, is it not, dear?” was the arch retort, although her mother was also flushed as she caught her meaning. “I understand your trouble, dear,” she added, more gravely, “and everything is to be set right in a little while. This reunion will soon be properly solemnized, and then we shall all go home together. Now go, and I will follow you in a few minutes.” She led the beautiful girl to the door, kissed her tenderly, and sent her to Sir William. Then she sped swiftly up to her own room, where, locking herself in, she fell upon her knees and sobbed out her grateful thanks for the great joy that had been sent to her that day. Virgie, her heart all aglow with love and happiness, went straight to the library. Softly opening the door, she put her flushed, beautiful face within, saying, with charming eagerness: “Mamma says that—that my father is here.” Sir William turned at the sound of that sweet voice, his whole soul in his face, and held out his arms to her. “Virgie! my child!” he cried, in a tone that thrilled her, and her heart instantly owned its kindred, without a doubt of fear. She sprang to his breast, laughing and sobbing all at once, and his kisses were rained upon her upturned face. “Oh, my baby, whom I never saw! my darling for whom my heart has yearned so many years! God is good to give both my treasures to me, so fair and loving,” he murmured, fondly, while his own tears mingled with hers, and his chest heaved with the emotion he could not control. “Papa!” Virgie breathed, with a tender inflection that touched him deeply; “to think that I have never been able to say it before, while I have hardly dared to speak of you at all, because of the suffering it caused mamma.” “How has she accounted for my absence, love?” “She has always told me that you went over the sea and were lost. Only since coming to London have I learned that you were living.”