The morning call., 1894-01-28

across the country. She had white cow n
and a thick shawl, because the dews are
heavy and chill in the young morning
hours. and when | saw her face l knew
what WAS worth most on earth.
/ spoke to her.
''Hsve Won lost your way p" 1 said.
Aud she answered timidly: "NO-oh, no.
hone am not tress passing. II come
here because it is so beautiful"
"Y GU come early" said stupidity
enough.
Yes. You see. it is really the only
time can call my own, because l am a
governess."
A governes8! She looked more like a
child. with her little white face and soft,
curling brown hair. She was so frank
and friendly. so innocent and so young
oh. so very young TO be already living her
: life only n the lives of other children.
We talked long till the sun had risen
high. l told her my name and she said
shyly that she had heard of me.
What have you heard ?" l asked.
Then she laughed little. and said :
sob. nothing; only that you are very
clever and write books"
mo, l only read them. Perhaps | shall
write them some day"
And she told me how she was an orphan.
with no one of kin in the world except only
a twin brother. and she showed me his
portrait IN lOcket, and told me how good
he was and religious, what clever letters
he wrote from his ship far away, and how
the shawl she wore, which was of curious
design and web, was gift sent not long
before by him.
When we parted at Iast-it was a. the
stile that led across the park to the bonse
where she lived-I went home, knowing
that my soul was new born. Folks say
that there is 10 such thing as first love
save in the vain dreams Of poets, but nv
dear and knew well whether or no God
has added that perfect gift to all the gifts
OF his good earth.
We. met again, many, many times-at
nrst In the dewy mornings, aud after
when the sweet half certainty of hope had
become full security of mutual love, in
the SOFT, ghostly grayness Of the waning
summer evenings. L know not on what
pFeteX' she escaped from the house WHARF,
enc llVed to come to me, but / know that
every evening she did come to me, and we
paced up ana down the South avenue to-
gether The South avenue is dark and
gloomy; no foot falls there after nights
loot has fallen. because it leads to the
mausoleum where it has been the will of
my kinsfok that their bones should he
laid. so there we met, GLAD at heart and
nDafrald. for many good nights.
Ny uncle was away travelling. he left
me confidently to the care of n careless
tutor, who had his own amusements-not
of the most reputable. as | knew later
for myself any more perllous pleasure
than lay among his books. He came home
two days before Christmas. | had met
my dear every night through the sweet
summer and the chill, windy autumn, and
in these months she had grown into my
very heart, and now, two days before
Christmas, | came back to the Manor with
her soft kiss still on my lips-to find that
my uncle had returned.
My boy, you're looking very ILL.," he
said at once "a trip to the Riviera.
think. Ell %
stammered something which he did not
hear. He went on:
The heir of the Careys mustn't fade
away In damn. dull old house. eh? You
must travel. my boy, travel. We must set
yon on your feet again.
Then he told me tn he had proiect of
marriage for me. which should join his
estate 10 that Of our next ueighbor's. and
had always been afraid of nv uncle. and
now dared not tell him about Mary. my
pennlless sweetheart know what know
OF the price that cowardice COSTUME.
i went abroad, but before | went 7 nsr-
suaded Mary to marry me. We were mar
ried in false names. 1t was easy, for I had
never spent nv allowance and had nlentv
OF money laid by, and l USED soma Of in IN
persuade my tutor to walt for me in Paris
while | spent that fortnight with her in
the little Norman watering place She and
/ agreed-for she was as frightened of my
guardian as [ was-that we would tell No
one or our marriage until l came of age |
had no knowl dge of business matters, and
had some vague notion that j might posi-
bly, forfeit my estate II | married wiihou,
my guardians consent, and no one courts
poverty either for himself or his sweet
heart. She promised 10 tell no one of her
marriage till should give her leave to DO