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eall mine in my dream never to be mine in real lifehow I love you！〃
The Alice behind him could bear no more。 She gave a little choking cry that betrayed her presence。 Jasper Dale sprang up and gazed upon her。 He saw her standing there； amid the languorous shadows of August； pale with feeling； wide…eyed； trembling。
For a moment shyness wrung him。 Then every trace of it was banished by a sudden； strange； fierce anger that swept over him。 He felt outraged and hurt to the death； he felt as if he had been cheated out of something incalculably preciousas if sacrilege had been done to his most holy sanctuary of emotion。 White； tense with his anger； he looked at her and spoke； his lips as pale as if his fiery words scathed them。
〃How dare you？ You have spied on meyou have crept in and listened！ How dare you？ Do you know what you have done； girl？ You have destroyed all that made life worth while to me。 My dream is dead。 It could not live when it was betrayed。 And it was all I had。 Oh； laugh at memock me！ I know that I am ridiculous！ What of it？ It never could have hurt you！ Why must you creep in like this to hear me and put me to shame？ Oh； I love youI will say it； laugh as you will。 Is it such a strange thing that I should have a heart like other men？ This will make sport for you！ I； who love you better than my life； better than any other man in the world can love you； will be a jest to you all your life。 I love youand yet I think I could hate youyou have destroyed my dreamyou have done me deadly wrong。〃
〃Jasper！ Jasper！〃 cried Alice； finding her voice。 His anger hurt her with a pain she could not endure。 It was unbearable that Jasper should be angry with her。 In that moment she realized that she loved himthat the words he had spoken when unconscious of her presence were the sweetest she had ever heard； or ever could hear。 Nothing mattered at all； save that he loved her and was angry with her。
〃Don't say such dreadful things to me；〃 she stammered； 〃I did not mean to listen。 I could not help it。 I shall never laugh at you。 Oh； Jasper〃she looked bravely at him and the fine soul of her shone through the flesh like an illuminating lamp〃I am glad that you love me！ and I am glad I chanced to overhear you； since you would never have had the courage to tell me otherwise。 Glad glad！ Do you understand； Jasper？〃
Jasper looked at her with the eyes of one who； looking through pain； sees rapture beyond。
〃Is it possible？〃 he said； wonderingly。 〃AliceI am so much older than youand they call me the Awkward Manthey say I am unlike other people〃
〃You ARE unlike other people；〃 she said softly； 〃and that is why I love you。 I know now that I must have loved you ever since I saw you。〃
〃I loved you long before I saw you；〃 said Jasper。
He came close to her and drew her into his arms； tenderly and reverently； all his shyness and awkwardness swallowed up in the grace of his great happiness。 In the old garden he kissed her lips and Alice entered into her own。
CHAPTER XXVI
UNCLE BLAIR COMES HOME
It happened that the Story Girl and I both got up very early on the morning of the Awkward Man's wedding day。 Uncle Alec was going to Charlottetown that day； and I； awakened at daybreak by the sounds in the kitchen beneath us； remembered that I had forgotten to ask him to bring me a certain school…book I wanted。 So I hurriedly dressed and hastened down to tell him before he went。 I was joined on the stairs by the Story Girl； who said she had wakened and； not feeling like going to sleep again； thought she might as well get up。
〃I had such a funny dream last night；〃 she said。 〃I dreamed that I heard a voice calling me from away down in Uncle Stephen's Walk 'Sara； Sara； Sara；' it kept calling。 I didn't know whose it was； and yet it seemed like a voice I knew。 I wakened up while it was calling； and it seemed so real I could hardly believe it was a dream。 It was bright moonlight； and I felt just like getting up and going out to the orchard。 But I knew that would be silly and of course I didn't go。 But I kept on wanting to and I couldn't sleep any more。 Wasn't it queer？〃
When Uncle Alec had gone I proposed a saunter to the farther end of the orchard； where I had left a book the preceding evening。 A young mom was walking rosily on the hills as we passed down Uncle Stephen's Walk； with Paddy trotting before us。 High overhead was the spirit…like blue of paling skies； the east was a great arc of crystal； smitten through with auroral crimsonings； just above it was one milk…white star of morning； like a pearl on a silver sea。 A light wind of dawn was weaving an orient spell。
〃It's lovely to be up as early as this； isn't it？〃 said the Story Girl。 〃The world seems so different just at sunrise； doesn't it？ It makes me feel just like getting up to see the sun rise every morning of my life after this。 But I know I won't。 I'll likely sleep later than ever tomorrow morning。 But I wish I could。〃
〃The Awkward Man and Miss Reade are going to have a lovely day for their wedding；〃 I said。
〃Yes； and I'm so glad。 Beautiful Alice deserves everything good。 Why； Bevwhy； Bev！ Who is that in the hammock？〃
I looked。 The hammock was swung under the two end trees of the Walk。 In it a man was lying； asleep； his head pillowed on his overcoat。 He was sleeping easily； lightly； and wholesomely。 He had a pointed brown beard and thick wavy brown hair。 His cheeks were a dusky red and the lashes of his closed eyes were as long and dark and silken as a girl's。 He wore a light gray suit； and on the slender white hand that hung down over the hammock's edge was a spark of diamond fire。
It seemed to me that I knew his face； although assuredly I had never seen him before。 While I groped among vague speculations the Story Girl gave a queer； choked little cry。 The next moment she had sprung over the intervening space； dropped on her knees by the hammock； and flung her arms about the man's neck。
〃Father！ Father！〃 she cried； while I stood； rooted to the ground in my amazement。
The sleeper stirred and opened two large； exceedingly brilliant hazel eyes。 For a moment he gazed rather blankly at the brown… curled young lady who was embracing him。 Then a most delightful smile broke over his face； he sprang up and caught her to his heart。
〃SaraSaramy little Sara！ To think didn't know you at first glance！ But you are almost a woman。 And when I saw you last you were just a little girl of eight。 My own little Sara！〃
〃Fatherfathersometimes I've wondered if you were ever coming back to me；〃 I heard the Story Girl say； as I turned and scuttled up the Walk； realizing that I was not wanted there just then and would be little missed。 Various emotions and speculations possessed my mind in my retreat； but chiefly did I feel a sense of triumph in being the bearer of exciting news。
〃Aunt Janet； Uncle Blair is here；〃 I announced breathlessly at the kitchen door。
Aunt Janet； who was kneading her bread； turned round and lifted floury hands。 Felicity and Cecily； who were just entering the kitchen； rosy from slumber； stopped still and stared at me。
〃Uncle who？〃 exclaimed Aunt Janet。
〃Uncle Blairthe Story Girl's father； you know。 He's here。〃
〃WHERE？〃
〃Down in the orchard。 He was asleep in the hammock。 We found him there。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said Aunt Janet； sitting down helplessly。 〃If that isn't like Blair！ Of course he couldn't come like anybody else。 I wonder；〃 she added in a tone unheard by anyone else save myself； 〃I wonder if he has come to take the child away。〃
My elation went out like a snuffed candle。 I had never thought of this。 If Uncle Blair took the Story Girl away would not life become rather savourless on the hill farm？ I turned and followed Felicity and Cecily out in a very subdued mood。
Uncle Blair and the Story Girl were just coming out of the orchard。 His arm was about her and hers was on his shoulder。 Laughter and tears were contending in her eyes。 Only once before when Peter had come back from the Valley of the Shadowhad I seen the Story Girl cry。 Emotion had to go very deep with her ere it touched the source of tears。 I had always known that she loved her father passionately； though she rarely talked of him； understanding that her uncles and aunts were not whole…heartedly his friends。
But Aunt Janet's welcome was cordial enough； though a trifle flustered。 Whatever thrifty； hard…working farmer folk might think of gay； Bohemian Blair Stanley in his absence； in his presence even they liked him； by the grace of some winsome； lovable quality in the soul of him。 He had 〃a way with him〃revealed even in the manner with which he caught staid Aunt Janet in his arms； swung her matronly form around as though she had been a slim schoolgirl； and kissed her rosy cheek。
〃Sister o' mine； are you never going to grow old？〃 he said。 〃Here you are at forty…five with the roses of sixteenand not a gray hair； I'll wager。〃
〃Blair； Blair； it is you who are always young；〃 laughed Aunt Janet； not ill pleased。 〃Where in the world did you come from？ And what is this I hear of your sleeping all night in the hammock？〃
〃I've been painting in the Lake District all summer； as