Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-08-16

me that my hope was vain ! should never
now have the right to comfort and protect
her ms had prayed might and l turned my
face away and crushed my hands together
with a stifed groan for the vanishing Of my
foolish dream.
1t was she who recalled me- Far more
quickly than I had thought for she checked
her grief, brushing the tears from her eyes
with the air of one long used TO repression,
and touched me half timidly on the arm, as
though she feared l was dispeased with her.
81 am so sorry" she said gently. or
Elliott do not know what you are thinking
of me but it was the sudden shock and it
is so long since" Her voice broke and her
eyes wandered to the letter which her other
hand held pressed gently against her bosom
II loved him." she said, looking up Mt me
again with a sweet simplicity that was above
all disguise, "and we were parted. do not
blame my dear father, and it is all over now
] ought not to have given way so, and before
You. What was it you wantedto say to me p
Wanted All, but the want was past now.
| too could have said at is all over" but
looking at the gentle courage in her pale face
l could not but be brave myself
Nothing of any importance" l answered,
taking her hands in mine. 1t was to be for
the last time, though she did not know it, II
had meant to ask you something; but il does
upt Ilulttls Nuh gbu lllNt uuHNNittl IT, llbt
knowing, already. Let me speak of this let.
ter instead. You will know that l did not
mean to grieve you when l showed it to you.
What l want is to see you happy, my child.
Only be frank with me and do not forget
that you are in my care | will not fail you.
You love this-this young man. Do you know
if he is true to YOU or whore we can tiud
him -
The red fre-lght was ON her face. but I
saw it whitcn through all the ruddy glow ;
and felt her hands tremLle Yet her pathetic
eyes never wavored in their straightforward
glance.
''Do you not know" she said. 'Dr. Eli
oft, you are very good. ! never knew how
good till to-day but you cannot help me in
the way you think. 1hore is nothing now of
Guy to find but his grave. He died five
years ago, just before we came TO this house. ~
Died" | must have said it but it did not
sound ike my voice, aud the room seemed
recling with me. Yes" she said softly, the
tears brimming up into her eyes again; ''it
was barely twelve months after after papa
sent him away. He went to Australia The
friends whore we first met gave me news of
him two or three times but it wa, not good
news there was no good news to hear" Her
lip quivered even now at the remembrance
but she went on. II suppose papa was right
he was not quite steady, my poor Guy and
he grew less so after we parted At first
hoped that my love might help him for he
knew l would be true and wait until he had
got on and won papas consent. And papa
was not un Just Doctor: he would have given
it if--please do not mind my crying; but !
can't talk about that time. | don't think
my poor Guy could work or keep to anything
for long, and dare say he had many tompta-
tions but oh even when heard il | knew
. fH...l l.. / l.. 4 Il.
took him away. Poor Guy is safe now 1t Is
better So far
There was a dead silence in the room. On.
/ ly the ashes fell with n soft rustlug sound in.
to the hearth. and the flames l,aptd up and
| threw n warm glare over the dim green walls
| the slender figure in its black robes, and ten.
/ der wisifUl face. little small rain was pat
/ tcring against the window pauc; aud in til,
/ corner Of the room a great la,ket Of hyacinth.
| gave out Il sweet faint fragrance Magdaler
| remembered herself with start, and our ye!
met
/ Il have panied you, she said sorrowfrly
/ "Dr Elliott. am so sorry. Forgive me. In
/ de d | never meant to do SO. / who owe yoJ
so much, ana would give so much to be abl,
| to repay YOU, even IN the least, for all yol
| have done for me"
My dear" | answered, lifting her pretty
/ clingiug fingers TO my lips, love does no
want repaying, love you, Mngdalen Die
not your father tell your There is only on,
thing You can do for me but / would no
| have it. though it has been the one hope o
my life all these years | have known you, ex
| cept you give me ii freely-of your own will
my love-
And then stopped for an answer Villa
it was / viii not tel you. Only, if you thiul
it wrong that She, so fair and beautiful, shoulC
have given herself 20 n dull, middle-ag,d mal
like me, cannot say anything. She will tel
you if she has eyerrepented it-she, my wife
and the mother of my children, sitting viii
her hand in mine while l say this.
And the house across the street has Lac
other tenants for more than ten years now.