192 TEE SILVER FOX 



and trees the western sky was gathering the 

 warmth of sunset ; opposite in the east, the 

 brown smoke of Dublin stained the tranquil 

 heaven, and above it a ghostly half-moon 

 stood like a little white cloud in the depths 

 of blue. 



There are moments in life when it is 

 given to some hearts to know their own 

 happiness, and to know it trembling. Come 

 what might, earth's greatest pleasure was 

 Slaney's now: she knew it with all the 

 tenderness and strong romance that were 

 hidden in her nature, with all the com- 

 prehension of herself that had grown out of 

 a bitter experience. It was a state of mind 

 that seemed incompatible with the prosaic 

 tweed coat- sleeve that rested on the car as 

 Major Bunbury leaned across from the other 

 side ; but as he looked at her he understood 

 that the exceeding beauty of the evening 

 had in some way touched her nearly as it 

 was touching him. As has been said, he 

 kept a soul somewhere, and Slaney had 

 found it and entered in. 



