Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-14

ly being on earth claiming my care, and
wished to see you comfortable before"
Dorothy actually staggered at this.
"And so you think you may die at any
time, and want strangers here at your bed
side instead Of p
Dorothy's lip quivered, for all her ban
tering tore, she really ielt like swooning
away for The first time in her life.
Martin took her hands both in his, and
looked very much like a criminal about to
confess his crime.
~ feel that I ought to have taken my Sc
cret to tho grave with me, Dorothy have
no right to presume that you, so young, so
beautiful, with all your life before you,
will listen TO ME patiently. But I must
tell you, now that you are safe and forever
beyond my hope, how dear you are to me,
and how it is like the pain of death to see
you go to gladden. another mans heart and
home. Dorothy, you have been to me the
one gieam in darkened existenco-my
sun by day-my star by night. love you
deeply, truly, my child in hopeless, fool
ish way, and as 1 never loved woman be-
FORE" He hated himself for having said
this TO little Dorothy, who had regarded
him as father, perhaps-and he was old
enough TO have borne his misfortune bet
ter than be was bearing it, now that no had
really permitted himself to speak.
Dorothy's silence augured i'll. He was,
no doubt, dropping rapidly from the exalt-
ed place in her heart he had so long occu-
pied.
e., ~.
this folly of mine-I should have been
silent little longer, only it was too much
for me, and now you have my best wishes
for your future, which will be pleasant
and comfortable one, feel"
Dolly found tongue, at this, two deep, red
spots glowing in the olive cheeks.
"If you mean anything like my marriage
with Mr.. Biddeford- can never be-"
You have refused him? ?"
His heart throbbed suffocatingly, as if he
had suddenly discovered himself at the
edge Of deep abyss, and looked down
with newly opened eyes.
"Yes."
"And why?",
The spots were quite scarlet now.
~ am very much afraid it was because
did not like Mr.. BiddeforI well enough to
accept him."
SIS it because you like anybody else bet
ter, Dorothy?"
"Yes," again, and the brown eyes came
up shyly, and she looked straight into his.
"Ive no right TO question you further,
dear; keep it secret if you wish
| Dorothy looked distressed
II love the noblest of men with only one
fault. He does not esteem himself highly
enough, and he is determined not TO ask
me to marry him.
"Meaning-me
"Meaning just you.'
ooh, Dollyr
Presently when Dolly had smoothed her
collar and recovered her breath:
at was cruel of you to force me to such
things, but was afraid you would marry
me of in spite of myself, next"
"And you think you can learn TO love
me, Dorothy o. if you should notv'
Dolly declared it no great hardship, since
she had thrived wonderfully on it.
Which meant that she had learned ever
so long ago.
Another dsappearance-thc shiny hair
by this time quite in tange.
Martin went with a radiant, albeit a
shamed face, to Jane, who let fall shower
of stitches, and fell into great tremor.
'She knew it all along; some bold, de-
signing thing, no doubt"
Don't call names, jamie, because it's
me- said Dolly, putting her head down on
the lavender ribbons, in her old caressing
way. "Well, the Lord be praised, and
there, dor't often kiss folks, but 1 Just
can't help ii, I'm so glad! y
And poor Jane left her yarn to the mer-
cies OF Dolly's white kitten and went away
to have a hearty cry, for what, she hardly
knew only that she somehow thought as
plainly of Robert as if the grass had not
been growing above him for thirty years.
Marin reinquished all idea of dying, as
Dolly said that DR.. Ledyard was great
"nnny," and of course Dolly knew every
thing.