And how slept Frank that night?  With him, at least, let us hope, nay, let us say boldly, that his happiest thoughts were not with the wealth which he was to acquire.  But yet it would be something to restore Boxall Hill to Greshamsbury; something to give back to his father those rumpled vellum documents, since the departure of which the squire had never had a happy day; nay, something to come forth again to his friends as a gay, young country squire, instead of a farmer, clod-compelling for his bread.  We would not have him thought to be better than he was, nor would we wish him to make him of other stuff than nature generally uses.  His heart did exult at Mary’s wealth; but it leaped higher still when he thought of purer joys.

And what shall we say of Mary’s dreams?  With her, it was altogether what she should give, not at all what she should get.  Frank had loved her so truly when she was so poor, such an utter castaway; Frank, who with his beauty, and spirit, and his talents might have won the smiles of the richest, the grandest, the noblest!  What lady’s heart would not have rejoiced to be allowed to love her Frank?  But he had been true to her through everything.  Ah! how often she thought of that hour, when suddenly appearing before her, he had strained her to his breast, just as she had resolved how best to bear the death-like chill of his supposed estrangements!  She was always thinking of that time.  She fed her love by recurring over and over to the altered feeling of that moment.  Any now she could pay him for his goodness.  Pay him!  No, that would be a base word, a base thought.  Her payment must be made, if God would so grant it, in many, many years to come.  But her store, such as it was, should be emptied into his lap.  It was soothing to her pride that she would not hurt him by her love, that she would bring no injury to the old house.  ‘Dear, dear Frank’ she murmured, as her waking dream, conquered at last by sleep, gave way to those of the fairy world.

But she thought not only of Frank; dreamed not only of him.  What had he not done for her, that uncle of hers, who had been more loving to her than any father!  How was he, too, to be paid?  Paid, indeed!  Love can only be paid in its own coin:  it knows of no other legal tender.  Well, if her home was to be Greshamsbury, at any rate she would not be separated from him.

What the doctor dreamed of that, neither he or anyone ever knew.  ’Why, uncle, I think you’ve been asleep,’ said Mary to him that evening as he moved for a moment uneasily on the sofa.  He had been asleep for the last three-quarters of an hour;—­but Frank, his guest, had felt no offence.  ‘No, I’ve not been exactly asleep,’ said he; ’but I’m very tired.  I wouldn’t do it all again, Frank, to double the money.  You haven’t got any more tea, have you, Mary?’

On the following morning, Beatrice was of course with her friend.  There was no awkwardness between them in meeting.  Beatrice had loved her when she was poor, and though they had not lately thought alike on one very important subject, Mary was too gracious to impute that to Beatrice as a crime.