The surprise of the instant over, he noticed that his horse was gone, —­had evidently been taken to the stables.  And rather than ring the bell and wait in the mood in which he found himself, he took the path through the shrubbery from which he had seen the groom emerge.

It turned beyond the corner of the house, descended a flight of stone steps, and turned again.

They stood gazing each at the other for a space of time not to be computed before either spoke, and the sense of unreality which comes with a sudden fulfilment of intense desire—­or dread—­was upon Austen.  Could this indeed be her figure, and this her face on which he watched the colour rise (so he remembered afterwards) like the slow flood of day?  Were there so many Victorias, that a new one—­and a strange one—­should confront him at every meeting?  And, even while he looked, this Victoria, too,—­one who had been near him and departed,—­was surveying him now from an unapproachable height of self-possession and calm.  She held out her hand, and he took it, scarce knowing—­that it was hers.

“How do you do, Mr. Vane?” she said; “I did not expect to meet you here.”

“I was searching for the stable, to get my horse,” he answered lamely.

“And your father?” she asked quickly; “I hope he is not—­worse.”

It was thus she supplied him, quite naturally, with an excuse for being at Fairview.  And yet her solicitude for Hilary was wholly unaffected.

“Dr. Harmon, who came from New York, has been more encouraging than I had dared to hope,” said Austen.  “And, by the way, Mr. Vane believes that you had a share in the fruit and flowers which Mr. Flint so kindly brought.  If—­he had known that I were to see you, I am sure he would have wished me to thank you.”

Victoria turned, and tore a leaf from the spiraea.

“I will show you where the stables are,” she said; “the path divides a little farther on—­and you might find yourself in the kitchen.”

Austen smiled, and as she went on slowly, he followed her, the path not being wide enough for them to walk abreast, his eyes caressing the stray hairs that clustered about her neck and caught the light.  It seemed so real, and yet so unrealizable, that he should be here with her.

“I am afraid,” he said, “that I did not express my gratitude as I should have done the evening you were good enough to come up to Jabe Jenney’s.”

He saw her colour rise again, but she did not pause.

“Please don’t say anything about it, Mr. Vane.  Of course I understand how you felt,” she cried.

“Neither my father nor myself will forget that service,” said Austen.

“It was nothing,” answered Victoria, in a low voice.  “Or, rather, it was something I shall always be glad that I did not miss.  I have seen Mr. Vane all my life, but I never=-never really knew him until that day.  I have come to the conclusion,” she added, in a lighter tone, “that the young are not always the best judges of the old.  There,” she added, “is the path that goes to the kitchen, which you probably would have taken.”