In the meantime Francis Dayman had come to pay his sister a visit.  He had made some fortunate speculations, and had come on to be a merchant of considerable wealth and weight in the Hudson’s Bay Company.

A handsome man of a good deal of strength and force he seemed to be, and Perrault had certainly been wise in securing his prize before Hester had such a guardian.

He was an open, straight-forward man, with a fresh breath of the forest about him; successful beyond all his hopes, and full of activity.  He took to Fulk, and seemed to have a strong fellow-feeling for us.

But little had Fulk expected to be made the confidant of his vehement admiration for Emily Deerhurst.  The gentle lady-like girl impressed the backwoodsman in a wondrous manner.  It seemed to him, as if his wealth would have real value, if he could pour it all out on her.

And her mother encouraged him.  Emily was six years older than when she had cast off Fulk, and there was a pale changed look about her; and the rich Canadian, who could buy a baronetcy, and do anything she asked, tempted Mrs. Deerhurst.

Though, as Fulk said bitterly, if the stain on his birth was all the cause of the utter withdrawal, was it not the same with Francis Dayman?  Only in his case it was gilded!

Dayman knew nothing of this former affair.  The world was forgetting it, and if Hester knew it, she kept it from his knowledge, so he used to consult Fulk as to what was to be done to please an English lady, and whether he was too rough for her; and Fulk stood it all.  He even knew when the young lady herself was brought forward—­and refused, gently, sadly, courteously, but unmistakably; and then, when driven hard by the eager wooing, owned to an old attachment, that never would permit her to marry!

What a light there was in Fulk’s eyes when he whispered that into my ears!  And yet he had kept his counsel, even though Mr. Dayman told him that the mother declared it to be a foolish romantic affair of very early girlhood, that no doubt his perseverance would overthrow.

“And her persecution!” muttered poor Fulk.  But he did enjoy the confidences in a bitter-sweet fashion.  It was justifiable to be a dog in the manger under the circumstances.

Mr. Dayman went to London, and Hester was negotiating about a house where Mrs. Deerhurst and her daughters were to stay with her for a few weeks.  I fancy Mrs. Deerhurst thought that the chance of seeing Farmer Torwood ride by to market had a bad effect.  It was the Easter holidays, and both boys were at home; always trying to be together, and we not finding it easy to keep Alured from Spinney Lawn, without such flat refusals as would have given his sister legitimate cause of complaint and offence.

One beautiful spring afternoon, when Alured, to my vexation and vague uneasiness, had gone over there, I was sowing annuals in the garden and watching for him at the same time, when, to my surprise, I saw, coming over the fields from the park, a lady with a quick, timid, yet wearied step.  Had she lost her way, I thought?  There was something of the tame fawn in her movement; and then I remembered the white doe.  Yes! it was Emily!