Sir Ronald Keith was still their guest; Doctor Frank was still an inmate of the St.Croix Hotel, and a regular visitor at the Hall.

More letters had come for Kate from England; Lieutenant Stanford's regiment had gone to Ireland, and he said nothing of leave of absence or a visit to Canada.

Rose got weekly epistles from Ottawa; her darling Jules poured out floods of undying love in the very best French, and Rose smiled over them complacently, and went down and made eyes at Doctor Frank all the evening.

And old Margery was not recovered yet from the ghost-seeing fright, and would not remain an instant alone by night or day for untold gold.
The sunset of a bright January day was turning the western windows of Danton Hall to sheets of beaten gold.

The long, red lances of light pierced through the black trees, tinged the piled up snow-drifts, and made the low evening sky one blaze of crimson splendour.