“I do,” said Patty; “and I add my full and free forgiveness to Little Billee’s and I invite you to come right back to Wistaria Porch and make us a long visit,—­as Alice Adams.”

“And we thank you, Miss Grayson,” Farnsworth said, “for restoring our lost cousin, and at the same time giving us a new one!”

Miss Grayson laughed.  “It’s been a perfect show for me,” she said; “I think it’s all more dramatic than any play I ever acted in.”

“Come, Alice, dear,” Van Reypen said, with an air of proprietorship, “where’s your coat?”

Shyly, Alice looked up at him.

“Are you sure you want me?” she said.

“Sure I want an Adams?  Well, rather!  I never aspired to such a renowned name for my fiancee!  My own family pride is humbled to the dust.”

“Nonsense!” laughed Patty, “the Van Reypen stock can hold its own!”

And then they quickly got ready and started for home.

Farnsworth took the wheel, and invited Patty to sit beside him.

This left Van Reypen and Alice together in the tonneau, and neither objected to the arrangement.

They conversed softly as the car sped swiftly along, and Phil realised how beautiful was the dear face beside him, now that worry and care had been replaced by happiness and love.

“But I don’t see how you can forgive me,” Alice said, “I did such a dreadful thing.”

“I forgive you for two reasons,” Van Reypen returned, “first, because you didn’t appreciate the real wrong you were doing, and second, because I love you.  Love you enough to forgive far more than that!”

“You’ll never have to forgive me for anything again, for I’m never going to do anything you’ll disapprove of.  I’m among nice people forever now,—­and I’m going to learn to be like them.”

“You’re one of the ‘nice people’ yourself, by birth, and your name is among the best.  But I doubt if I can learn to call you ‘Alice.’  To me, you will always be ’Brownie’,—­my own Brownie girl.”

“I like that best,” she said, contentedly, and smiled happily at Philip as his hand clasped hers, and his eyes carried a message of love that needed no spoken word to tell of its depth and sincerity.