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 dented thing—such a sweet, strange, unprecedented thing. He placed his forefinger lightly on her lips and pressed them gently, looking straight into her eyes, and then quickly, as if the act had slipped out against his will, and he wished to cover it up, 'It's later than I thought. I must hurry. How early it grows dark,' he said, and left her.

Half an hour later, Sheilah greeted the children with shining eyes. She put her arms around them, held them close. Oh, how rich she was! How happy she was! She greeted Felix with the same shining eyes. She sang to herself, as she used to years ago, as she prepared the supper. She laughed and told amusing stories at the supper-table later.

'Mother's better than before she was sick,' said Laetitia.

After supper she went over to Felix with that same singing feeling in her heart, put her arm around his bent shoulders, and admired a little armchair he was, leaning down afterward and kissing the back of one of his big clumsy hands.