35© THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



ening with a man's deep love as they rested on her 

 face, went thrilling through her veins, and all the 

 shame she had felt could not smother her womanly 

 exultation in the knowledge that she had been loved. 

 Her cheeks flushed, and she rose quickly from her 

 seat, and as she did so there fell from her lap to the 

 ground a heap of those varied relics of dead passions 

 over which she had been mourning. 



But the step and the tune came nearer and nearer, 

 and finally stopped inside the room. How different 

 this man, who must be at least ten years her senior, 

 from the one she was thinking about who had been a 

 baby when she was a child of five ! 



"I beg your pardon," said Mr. Nemo with well- 

 affected surprise at finding her in the Yarl's counting- 

 room. " I understood that this part of the house was 

 not inhabited." 



" No more it is, but there are a few family papers 

 and— things — here that I wished to remove. I will 

 have them all out of — your way very soon now." 



" Do not hurry, madam ; I am not in any haste. 

 I hope you will consider the house yours as long as 

 ever you wish to remain. By the way, I have 

 observed that you cultivate flowers and understand 

 their science. I wish you would give me your advice 

 regarding the plants most suited to this soil and 

 climate." 



" Not much like a woman-hater this ! " thought Miss 

 Halcro ; and then before she knew exactly what she 

 was doing, or how it came about, she found herself 



