Aliva sprang up, and throwing her arms round her husband's neck, exclaimed, with an arch smile,--
"How oft dunder-headed men are where love is concerned! Ralph, we shall see the Lady Margaret the châtelaine of Bedford again!"
And then a most extraordinary thing occurred. Behind, in the doorway, they heard a joyful laugh.
There stood their uncle, Sir William, who never within the memory of either of them had been known even to smile.
He advanced hurriedly into the room, and catching up his great-nephew in his arms, kissed his little flaxen head, and laughed again.
THE END.
* * * * * * * *
Nelson's "Royal" Libraries.
THE TWO SHILLING SERIES.
IN TAUNTON TOWN. E. Everett-Green.
IN THE LAND OF THE MOOSE. Achilles Daunt.
TREFOIL. Margaret P. Macdonald.
WENZEL'S INHERITANCE. Annie Lucas.
VERA'S TRUST. Evelyn Everett-Green.
FOR THE FAITH. Evelyn Everett-Green.
ALISON WALSH. Constance Evelyn.
BLIND LOYALTY. E. L. Haverfield.
DOROTHY ARDEN. J. M. Callwell.
FALLEN FORTUNES. Evelyn Everett-Green.
FOR HER SAKE. Gordon Roy.
JACK MACKENZIE. Gordon Stables, M.D.
IN PALACE AND FAUBOURG. C. J. G.
ISABEL'S SECRET; or, A Sister's Love.
IVANHOE. Sir Walter Scott.
KENILWORTH. Sir Walter Scott.
LEONIE. Annie Lucas.
OLIVE ROSCOE. Evelyn Everett-Green.
QUEECHY. Miss Wetherell.
SCHÖNBERG-COTTA FAMILY. Mrs. Charles.
"SISTER." Evelyn Everett-Green.
THE CITY AND THE CASTLE. Annie Lucas.
THE CZAR. Deborah Alcock.
THE HEIRESS OF WYLMINGTON. E. Everett-Green.
THE SIGN OF THE RED CROSS. E. Everett-Green.
THE SPANISH BROTHERS. Deborah Alcock.
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE. Harold Avery.
THE UNCHARTED ISLAND. Skelton Kuppord.
THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD. Miss Wetherell.
THE BRITISH LEGION. Herbert Hayens.
THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON.
SALE'S SHARPSHOOTERS. Harold Avery.
A TRUSTY REBEL. Mrs. H. Clarke.
BEGGARS OF THE SEA. Tom Bevan.
HAVELOK THE DANE. C. W. Whistler.