reckless of worldly considerations. As it was, he did not feel that
the situation was conventional, but that the fates were kind. His
desire, and the right to strive for its attainment, had synchronised by
happy chance.

In the history of a passion, it is doubtful if any mood is more elysian
than that which accompanies the waking moments on the morning after the
great discovery. Leigh wandered for some time in this imaginary
paradise, where everything seemed not only possible, but actually
accomplished. His rising, however, shook some of these iridescent
colours from his thoughts, until they gradually began to assume the
more sober hue of fact, a change like that which he now discovered had
come over the outside world.

The storm, which had promised to be wild and spectacular, had somehow
miscarried in the night, and instead of pelting showers and tossing
branches he saw a pale grey wall of mist against his windows. All
excitement had gone from the atmosphere, leaving the dreary certainty
that the mist would presently clear only to condense into a slow,
persistent, autumn rain. It is conceivable that he would not have
exchanged his waking dreams so quickly for more definite thoughts and
speculations had his eyes rested upon the blue hills of the western
skyline, for he was peculiarly susceptible to the moods of nature.
There being now practically no outside world to lure his fancy on, he
began to think of his actual situation, and to ask himself what he
intended to do with regard to the man in whom Miss Wycliffe had taken
such an interest. If her plan appeared quixotic to him now, he feared
that on second thoughts it might seem no less so to her, and he
resolved to do the thing she desired, and to gain thereby a common
interest with her, before she might discourage the attempt. This