“Mother! mother! mother!”

“My son—­my dear boy! my son come back to me!”

When the lady turned at length to greet the silent figure who stood silently watching this meeting, Julian could see that the tears were standing upon her cheeks and sparkling in her eyes.

“You will pardon me, sir, for this apparent neglect,” she said sweetly, putting her thin jewelled fingers into Julian’s hand; “but when my boy goes forth to the fight, I never know whether it will be God’s will to send him back to me safe and sound.  A mother’s heart cannot but be full upon a day like this.  But second only to my joy in welcoming him back is this of making acquaintance with the trusty friend who has been so much to him during his perils and labours.”

“Madam, it has been the joy and honour of my life to be able to serve so great a soldier and so noble a man!”

The warm clasp upon his fingers gave the mother’s answer to this; and then they all moved within the lighted hall, where a glowing fire and a number of candles gave bright illumination, and where quite a hubbub of welcome was going on.  The servants were pressing forward to see and greet their young master, who had come home crowned with laurels.  It was known by this time in England how much of the success at Louisbourg had been due to Wolfe’s unfailing energy and intrepidity.  He was a hero at home as well as abroad, though he had hardly realized it yet.  Moreover, he was vociferously welcomed by his dogs, all of whom had been brought by his mother to meet their master again; and he had much ado to return the manifold greetings bestowed upon him, and to free himself at last from the demonstrative affection of his canine friends.

A plentiful supper was awaiting the wearied travellers; and it was when they had put in order their dress and entered the dining room that they were aware of the presence of another lady, a very handsome, dark-eyed girl, who stood beside the glowing fire regarding their entrance with looks of unaffected interest.

“My dear,” said Mrs. Wolfe, “let me present to you my son James, of whom you know much, although you have never met; and his friend and companion, Lieutenant Julian Dautray, whose name is equally known to you.

“This, James, is Miss Kate Lowther, the daughter of an old friend of ours, who has left her in my charge whilst he takes a last voyage to Barbados, where once he was Governor, to be my daughter and companion till he comes back to claim her.”

The bright-eyed girl dropped a courtesy to the gentlemen, who bowed low before her; but then holding out her hand frankly to Wolfe, she said in a clear, fresh voice.