“But you must go up stairs now,” said Josephine with a creditable effort after practicality:  “we shall have you both seriously ill unless you get your clothes changed at once.”

Mr. Dundas looked at her kindly.  “How wise and good you are!” he said with almost enthusiasm; and Josephine, her eyes humid with glad tears, her cheeks flushed with palpitating joy, sank in soul to him again, as so often before, and offered the petition of her humble love, which wanted only his royal signature to make an eternal bond.

“I love little Fina,” she said tremulously.  It was as if she had said, “I love you.”

Then she turned into the house and indulged her maternal instinct by watching nurse as she undressed the child, put her in a warm bath, gave her some hot elderberry wine and water, laid her in her little bed, and with many kisses bade her go to sleep and forget all about everything till tea-time.  And the keen relish with which she followed all these nursery details marked her fitness for the post of pro-mother so distinctly that it made nurse look at her more than once, and think—­also made her say, as a feeler—­“Law, miss! what a pity you’ve not had one of your own!”

Her tenderness of voice and action with the child when soothing her at the door had also made Sebastian think, and the child’s fondness for this soft-faced, weak and kindly woman was setting a mark on the man’s mind, well into middle age as she was.  He began to ask himself whether the blighted tree could ever put forth leaves again? whether there was balm in Gilead yet for him, and nepenthe for the past in the happiness of the future.  He thought there might be, and that he had sat long enough now by the open grave of his dead love.  It was time to close it, and leave what it held to the keeping of a dormant memory only—­a memory that would never die, but that was serene, passive and at rest.

So he pondered as he rode, and told Josephine’s virtues as golden beads between his fingers, to which his acceptance would give their due value, wanting until now—­their due value, merited if not won.  And for himself, would she make him happy?  On the whole he thought that she would.  She worshiped him, perhaps, as he had worshiped that other, and it was pleasant to Sebastian Dundas to be worshiped.  He might do worse, if also he might do better; but at least in taking Josephine he knew what he was about, and Fina would not be made unhappy.  He forgot Leam.  Yes, he would take Josephine for his wife by and by, when the fitting moment came, and in doing so he would begin life anew and be once more made free of joy.