The Newtown bee., 1897-03-05

place in New Zealand. The position had many advantages, and what was there for him if he did not accept it? He had no money to buy practice or to keep him while he made one. Besides, from l the time he came to manhood he had suf- fered from knowing that he was strain upon Mary's slender means.
 As for her, she had set all he- love on him, and the thought of his going was like death. She could not realize that she must live without him, yet she never thought of trying to keep him. When his choice had to be made, she threw all i her influence into the scale of his going. He seemed to dread the parting as much as she did, yet she knew that it is not the same to the man whose courage bids him take the world by storm as it is to the woman who sits at home quietly putting up her fears and hopes for him to God.
 II will come back, Mary" he said lifting her face to look into the depths of her eyes, and the gesture was like 8 lover's-"I will come back, or you will come to me-"
 "Yes, yes," she said; "we will only think of meeting again." But in her heart she said: "There will be woman somewhere to take you from me, 80 that you will never need me again. For three years she wrote to him by every mail, and heard from him nearly as often. She kept diary for him, fill ing it every night with the record of her thoughts as well as of the few little hap penings of her quiet days. She did not know herself the beauty of character those intimate letters revealed.
 The woman who was to take her boy from her had as yet made no appearance in his letters. She would not acknowl. edge to herself. how much she dreaded that strange woman. Her jealousy was more than maternal; and tho every night she forced herself to pray that he might have all human happiness, there was silent ecstasy of relief after each of those letters, in which Le proved to her that all his thoughts were hers. The third year had not passed oyer when the letter came that changed the currents of her peaceful life.
 II wish had not to say this to you from so great distance," he wrote, II thought of postponing it till could come to you, but for the present that is Impossible. I love you, Mary, with all the love man has to give woman. I wonder you never seemed to guess how my love was changing from the love for my benefactress, my little mother, to the love 8 man gives his wife. have seen many women aince we parted, but never one who approached you. am ma n grown, and love you with the one love of Thy life. I need you more than I could ever tell you. Come to me, Mary i; do not keep me waiting. You will not tell me. as more timid woman would, that there is disparity of age between us. Age matters nothing in the face of the love have for you. It will always be the same"
 He was 80 sure of her coming that he had incIosed her passage money and old Nannie's.
 Everything will be ready for you, he wrote; and we shall be married when you land. Don't keep me;waiting. have waited too long, Come by the next steamer that sails.''
 Perhaps he wanted to save her the nine days wonder. Anyhow, she obey cd him. Without telling any one she was going to be married, she made her arrangements, and said good-by to her
 
 few friends. To most of them 1t seemed a very natural arrangement that she