When Derrick left the wood--and how loath he was to leave it, for
Celia's presence seemed still to haunt it!--and returned to the inn, he
found Reggie still with his writing-pad on his knee. He glanced up, as
Derrick sank into the seat beside him, and said drily, "You look almost offensively happy, Green. I need not ask you if I am to
congratulate you."

"Congratulate away," said Derrick, with so obvious an expression of
satisfaction that Reggie nodded and smiled. "Have you been working all
the time?"

"No," replied Reggie. "There has been an interlude. I have been for a
walk. Green, did you ever meet an angel?"

"I have just left one," said Derrick, almost involuntarily.

"I beg your pardon. I forgot that there were two in this wicked old
world of ours. Well, I've just parted from the other one. She was
walking, with her wings folded, and a basket in her hand. It was heavy;
and, after a time, I plucked up sufficient courage to ask her to let me
take it. She would have refused, but the child she was carrying on her
other arm was not very comfortable."

"There is a child?" said Derrick, with a smile. "I thought you had
embarked on a love-story."

"There is a child," assented Reggie, gravely. "And it is a
love-story," he added, still more gravely. "But the love is all on my
side--at present."