The Yale expositor., 1895-11-08
NCHAPTER VI.-CoYrIxsED).

in a whirl with new thoughts, ana sic
sat down again. Which would be pest lor
Ida, Harold or Charles? She thought IL
over with as much solicitude as a noun,
er who plans for her only child. Harolu
had seemed to her to be in many ways
the noblest and the best young man
whom she had known. If ever she was TO
love a man it would be such man as
that. But she must not think OF herseI'
She had reason to believe that poth
these men loved her sister. Which would
be the best for her? But perhaps the
matter was already decided. she could
not forget the scrap Of conversation
which she had heard the night peiore'
nor the secret which her sister had re-
fused to confide to her. If Ida Woulo
not tell her, there was but one person
who could. She raised her eyes. ana
there was Harold Denver standing De-
fore her.
You were lost in your thoughts
said he, smiling. II hope that they were
pleasant ones.'
"Oh, / was planning" said she, rising.
1T seems rather a waste of time as
rule, for things have way Of working
themselves out just as you least eA-
pect."
What were you planning, then"
THE future"
''Whose?"
"Oh, my own and Ida's."
And was 1 included in your joint fu-
tures?'
II hope all our friends were included"
Don't go in" said he, as she began
10 move slowly towards the house. Il
wanted to have a word. Let us stroll up
and down the lawn. Perhaps you are
cold If you are / could bring you out
a shawl"
"Oh, no, am not cold"
Il was speaking to your sister Ida
last night" She noticed that there was
a slight CULVER in his voice. and, glanc-
ing up at his dark, clear-cut face, she
saw that he was very grave. She felt
that it was settled, and that he had
come to ask her for her sisters hand.
"She is a charming girl" said he, aft
or a pause.
Indeed she IS" cried Clara warmly.
And no one who has not lived with
her and known her intimately can tell
how charming and good she is. She Is
like sunbeam in the house."
mo one who was not good could be
so absolutely happy as she seems to be.
Heavens last gift, think. is mind
so pure and a spirit so high that 1t Is
unable even to see what is impure and
evil in the world around us. For as
long as We can see it, how can we be
truly happy?"
She has a deeper side, also. She does
not turn 1t to the world, and 1t is not
natural that she should, for she is very
young. But she thinks, and has aspira-
tions Of her own"
You cannot admire her more than
I do. Indeed, Miss Walker. / only ask
to be brought into nearer relationship
with her, and to feel that there is a
permanent bond between u.s."
1t had come at last. For a moment
her heart was numbed within her, and
then a food of sisterly love carried all
before it. Down with the dark thought
which would still try to raise It's I'M
hallowed head! She turned to Harold
with sparkling eyes and words of pleas
ure upon her lips.
II should wish to be near and dear to
both of you" said he. as he took her
hand. 81 should wish Ida to be my sis
ter, and you my wife"
She said nothing. She only stood
looking at him with parted lips and
had vanished away. the sloping gard
ems, the brick villas, the darkening sky
with half pale moon beginning to show
over the chimney tops. All was gone,
and she was only conscious of a dark,
earnest, pleading face, and Of a voice,
far away, disconnected from herself,
the voice Of a man telling a woman how
he loved her. He was unhappy. said the
voice, his life was void; he had come
TO the parting of the ways, here lay hap
'piness and honor. and all that was high
and noble; there lay the soul-killing
round, the lonely life, the base pursuit
of money, the sordid, selfish aims. He
needed but the hand of the woman that
he loved to lead him into the better
path. And low he loved her his life
would show. He loved her for her
sweetness, for her womanliness for
her strength. He had need Of her. Would
she come to him? And then of a sud
den as she listened 1t came home TO her
that the man was Harold Denver, and
that she was the woman, and that all
Gods work was very beautiful-the
green sward beneath her feet, the rust
ling leaves, the long orange slashes in
the western sky. She spoke; she scarce
knew what the broken words were,
but She saw the light of Joy shine out
on his face, and her hand was still In
his as they wandered amid the twilight.
They said no more now, but only wan
dered and felt each others presence.
All was fresh around them, familiar
and yet new, tinged with the beauty of
their new found happiness.
Did you not know It before" he
asked.
II did not dare think IT,"
What a mask of ice I must wearl
How could a man feel as have done
without showing IL? Your sister, at
least. knew"
"Idal"
1T was last night. She began to praise
ycu. said what felt, and then in an
Instant Il was all out"
But what could you-what could you