through my wife's charity and goodness that unhappy girl will be
restored to her place in the world, or that, at least, she will not go,
as she would otherwise have done, to the bad. I thought that a most
beautiful trait in her character."

"So it was," I replied, liking my dear old friend all the better for his
great love for his wife.

"She is always the same," he continued, "full of charity and tenderness
for the poor. You could not think how much they love her. All around
Vale Royal she is worshiped. I am a very fortunate man, John."

"You are indeed," I replied.

He went on:

"I always had my ideal. I have known many. None ever reached my standard
but Frances, and she is my ideal come to life--the reality found, fair,
sweet, and true, a blonde, queenly woman. I should think that very few
men meet and marry their ideal as I have met and married mine. Ah, there
is the avenue that leads to the old manor-house! Who could have thought
that I should ever be master of a manor-house, John? Neither that nor
the handsome income belonging to it would be of any use without Frances.
It is Frances who makes the world to me."

The avenue was a superb one. It consisted of tall chestnut trees
standing four deep. I have seen nothing finer. Just now the flowers were
all in bloom, the bees and butterflies had been all drawn there by their
odor; the birds were flitting in and out, making grand discoveries in
the great boughs; the ground was a carpet of flowers, white daisies and