Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/232

222 He smiled, but did not answer.

"You do see them," she insisted.

"There may be such," he answered dreamily. "I believe—I almost believe—I have seen them."

"Oh, how lovely!" the girl cried, clapping her hands. "Do tell me. What do they wear?"

The young man was chilled. The subject was serious to him. He regarded her coldly, and she, seeing it, added in a coaxing voice,—

"You will take me with you next time you go to see them?"

His gaze fell upon her again. She was so gay, so young, so pretty.

"Dreams! They are but dreams," he answered; but whether in answer to her question or to the new whispering of his heart he himself did not know.

The same evening, as the brothers sat together, as was their wont, Hugh noticed again how faded the room was.

"We might have the house done up a bit," he remarked. "It wants it."

His brother stopped his work, and looked keenly at him. The same thought was in