Mildred lifted her face slightly, but away from the burning pyre.
"Your rivals are all gone, Jack," she said, as steadily as she could speak. "Even I do not count."
Half an hour afterward, Clover heard them enter the house, and hurried down to the parlor.
When she pushed aside the portière and entered, she paused in amazement and her heart leaped up, for Jack's arms were about Mildred and his lips were pressed to hers.
They saw her, and in another instant she was beside them, her hands clasped in theirs.
As she gazed at her sister, mute for joy, Mildred regarded her with a tender version of her beautiful smile.
"I believe," she said, "this lifts the last cloud from Clover's horizon."
"Yes," answered the latter rather unsteadily; "the world never looked so bright to me as now. I think, Jack," turning to him, her face aglow, "heaven itself must have grown happier to-night."
Van Tassel's eyes shone wistfully. "I hope he knows," he answered gently.
* * * * * * * *