, 1885-11-26

LH1armnss in his mind no spo 70 no more.
Ins e,J "A naomi, who feel deeply and
visa to appear perfectly solf-posssssi are
sure TO do both boz to talk OF matt 81 IN
which they had no heart a. all.
They vera no. the only travellers on that
lonely road. Behini thom, hidden by the
shadows walkei a man of the pattern ons
hket not TO meet on lon .ly roads
Whsn the doctor put Miss GarnDtt down
at hs- own cato h, remarked that be was
going two miles fur her, but woull stop
on his return aud sss her father. who was
an invalid unler hi clre
Shl stool leaning on tbs gat, looking
after him as he drove awag. II might hlvs
comfortoi him to know that, az hs di,np
peursd entirely from ho- light, $40 5ighe1.
The rumble or hi. cirriage wh,als grow
fainter and fainter AMI A. last died away,
leaying the stillneis OF nj !hs unbroSen.
"Fato gosth, too, shs sail Sls was
mistaken. Fate was coning not going.
Sho was thinking i al ov9r, n little
wearily. Why bad shs ro'us'i D. Ssdgo'
wick = offer OF marriage. Tho reason was
10 unreasonable that shi was ashamed 10
admit 1t evsl 10 h1rss-E In fac, it was
not a reason: it was an illusion, a dream
one Of thos, nameless iniu1ncls which slip
into the best OF minds sometimes AMI work
no end of miicni1f. Dream, fancT. what
ever il was 1t hal held sway over ton years
Of her lie. 1t might DO simply described
as a man in the Imagination, a territory in
which he IL particularly distinguished for
making trouble.
This man had a fssh and blood existence,
also. Alec Garnett had been fascinatet by
him ten years before when they both lived
in the COOL old New England town of
Clarkson. Handsom, aud polished, with
the prestige OF wealth and position, the
dash OF a daring spirit and this charm of a
go1. he had taken her hsart captive. She
had promised to marry him, but a foolish
Misunderstanding had brokon tbs engage
ment. They had parted in anger and sho
had never seen him since.
He. fond OF adventure, Interested in af-
fairs went away, abroad, to the far west
TO Australia, every whore it seemed. For
some time she heard OF him as hero and
ihere-now getting very rich, now nesting
with losses, and again planning big enter
prisel. A year after she last saw hi m her
father, in the hope OF bsnohting hor mothers
failing health, had taken this farm in tbs
great %northwest, and here shs had lived
ever siucs. As time passed and the links Of
friendship that bound her to the old plaza
were broken, by death or change, she heard
no more OF Frank Bascomba But she had
not forgotten him. He was tho one NOM
DRY that nevsr grew dim AZ the years sped
away. A thousand timsi had she approached
herself for her share in the quarrel A
thousand time3 had she forgiven him his.
And she still hoped and prayed for his 70
turn. Indeed; this hope ruled her lifs. By
iDcessant fostering it hal grown into a
faith. In her heart Alico Garnett was SURE
he would come backbone back with tho
CHEEKY grace and the irresistible fascination
Of the old days, to laugh over thu foolish
words that parted them Tha years OF sepa-
ration wouli be to them then as though
they had not been at all, and tho future
c,ouiles2 Again and again Sho had pict-
ured his coming and rejoiced in it ANY
day. any hour, this wonderful joy might
come to her. Who is without experience in
believing what he wishes to b1lievsf Who
has not known the power of hope to work
miracles in the mindi
And yet sometimes this woman doubted
bitterly. Sometimes shs realized how
shadowy, how well nigh hopeless, was this
dream which ten years OF abssncs and
silence had not broken. Never had she felt
nearer despair than tonight, as she leaned
on the gate and heard the sound Of DR..
Sedgew icks carriage wheels die away.
"He would never come he had forgotten
her; he was no longer living, perhaps; it
was vain to hops.n And yet only a few
minutes before, when DIR. Sedgswick had
SPOKEN TO her of love and marriage, Frank
Bascombs's image had danced within her
mind. compelling her to say NO And so
it had ever been. All men who paid homage
to her suffered in comparison with this
dashing lover of her youth, whose memory
was more potent than the personal prsssnos
of any other.
Nobody dreamed Of this weakness in Miss
Garnstt. She was considered exceptionally
bsalthful in mind, thoroughly in harmony
with life What wouldn't thsy nave said
had they known of this wild love dream,
cherished SO long, with so little chance OF
,ulhllmenh, What wouldn't they say Of
any of us couli they Pesr into ths secret
corners OF our minds and read there our
fond longings and vain imaginingsf Who
could main tain a reputation for wisdom IL
minds were photographed
People often wondered-as people always
will wonder about what doosn't concern
them-why Alice Garnett didn't marry.
She was greatly admired. She was hand
some, but she had a charm that transcribed
beauty-ths charm Of a broad, bright min
alive to the thousand interests which affect
tho welfare OF our day aud raca ShS was
thirty-two years old, and was more attrac-
tive than she had ever bsen, though thu
premature young lady OF sixteen VIII think
thai an impossioln1y. ohe nAu noe ureaneo
.enSe' s1s n~a pen .,n uem ma Sr.sm.s