"Well, doctor," said she, "is it over?" She turned round, and saw Philip at work on the portrait, and absorbed in his occupation, as he had been in the dear old days gone by. Palette and pencils fell from her hands. She gazed silent and breathless. She took her head in both hands, as if to assure herself that she was awake and not dreaming. Philip turned with an imploring look in his eyes. Then, laying down his brush and palette, he rose slowly and stood with open arms. Dora uttered one cry, "Philip!" and, sobbing with joy, she buried her face in her husband's breast. "Dora, my Dora!" repeated Philip, caressing the beautiful head that lay once more in his embrace. They remained for several minutes, oblivious of everything around, united in a new-found exquisite bliss. Hobbs ran to hide her own tears and emotions in the bedroom of her beloved mistress. "Well, my dear doctor," said Lorimer, "we have had an afternoon's work, but it has been successful, eh?" "Yes," replied Dr. Templeton, "she is saved." "And now I am going to wind up the old clock and set it going once more," said Lorimer. This done, the two men softly stole out of the studio. And the old clock, with its good, round, cheery face, seemed to smile at Philip and Dora, while its tick-tack said, as plainly as could be, "Here are the good days come again, and I will count their hours for you." THE END PRINTED BY MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED EDINBURGH _Frederick Warne & Co.'s Publications_ In Connection with the De Willoughby Claim. By Frances Hodgson Burnett. In crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 6s. "... We have no hesitation in saying that Mrs. Burnett's new work is one of the most moving novels of the year ... and it contains scenes of a most tender and pervading sweetness.... As is always the case in Mrs. Hodgson Burnett's best work, it is the lovableness of her characters which gives such charm to her pages.... To pass from scenes of keen pathos to others of such tender charm, from the piteous figure of Margery to that of the radiant Sheba, is an employment which, however affecting to our emotions, is very fascinating.... It is an exceedingly attractive novel."--_Daily Telegraph._ "Mrs. Burnett has never written better than in this story. She has never delineated character more delicately, more sympathetically, her pathos has never been truer, her humor more engaging. The book gives one the impression of having been written with great and worthy care. No writer, not the very ablest, who made a point of turning out, say, three novels a year, could possibly have done anything so good as 'The De Willoughby Claim.' The book is well worthy to be read, and will be read by the wise."--_Daily Chronicle._ * * * * * Vroni: The Weaver's Heart's Dearest. By the late Blanche Willis Howard. In crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 6s.