Something of that kind, perhaps; at least, something that brought a transfigured cheerfulness into his face.

“Believe me, Fanny,” he said, at length, “I am not anxious to marry Miss Wayne; nor would she marry me if I asked her.”

Then he rose and passed across the room to her side.

“We were talking about the future life of the mistress of this mansion,” said Hope Wayne to Lawrence as he joined them.

“What does she wish?” asked he; “that is always the first question.”

“To go from here,” said she, simply.

“Forever?”

“Forever!”

Hope Wayne said it quietly.  Mrs. Simcoe sat holding her hand.  The three seemed to be all a little serious at the word.

“Aunty says she has no particular desire to remain here,” said Hope.

“It is like living in a tomb,” said Mrs. Simcoe, turning her calm face to Lawrence Newt.

“Would you sell it outright?” asked he.  Hope Wayne bent her head in assent.

“Why not?  My own remembrances here are only gloomy.  I should rather find or make another home.  We could do it, aunty and I.”

She said it simply.  Lawrence shook his head smilingly, and replied,

“I don’t think it would be hard.”

“I am going to see my trustees this morning, Uncle Dinks says,” continued Hope, “and I shall propose to them to sell immediately.”

“Where will you go?” asked Lawrence.

“My best friends are in New York,” replied she, with a tender color.

Lawrence Newt thought of Arthur Merlin.

“With my aunty,” continued she, looking fondly at Mrs. Simcoe, “I think I need not be afraid.”

Lunch was brought in; and meanwhile Mr. Kingo and Mr. Sutler had been sent for, and arrived.  Mr. Burt had not apprised them of his intention of making them trustees.

They fell into conversation with Mr. Quiddy, and Mr. Baze, and Mr. Dinks.  Dr. Peewee took his leave, “H’m ha! yes.  My dear Miss Wayne, I congratulate you; congratulate you! h’m ha, yes, oh yes—­congratulate you.”  The other legal gentlemen, friends of Mr. Dinks, drove off.  Nobody was left behind but the trustees and the family and Lawrence Newt—­the Dinks were of the family.

After business had been discussed, and the heiress—­the owner of Pinewood—­had announced her wishes in regard to that property, she also invited the company to remain to dinner, and to divert themselves as they chose meanwhile.

Mrs. Fanny Newt Dinks declined to stay.  She asked her husband to call their carriage, and when it came to the door she made a formal courtesy, and did not observe—­at least she did not take—­the offered hand of Hope Wayne.  But as she bowed and looked at Hope that young lady visibly changed color, for in the glance which Fanny gave her she seemed to see the face of her brother Abel; and she was not glad to see it.

Toward sunset of that soft June day, when Uncle and Aunt Dinks—­the latter humiliated and alarmed—­were gone, and the honest neighbors were gone, Hope Wayne was sitting upon the very bench where, as she once sat reading, Abel Newt had thrown a shadow upon her book.  But not even the memory of that hour or that youth now threw a shadow upon her heart or life.  The eyes with which she watched the setting sun were as free from sorrow as they were from guile.