Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-06-14
and gathered up the coins. 1t was her

and gathered up the coins. 1t was her
lost property.
A sudden falntness seized her; she
remembered in a fash the open win
dow, the overturned workable. To
think that she had held Robert JAR
dine for thief and lost him!
| She concealed the bag under her
cloak. No one had known of her loss;
none need know of It's recovery. She
weEt in by the back kitchen; the ser.
wants were whispering together. In a
group.
"Haud yer tongue, she'll hear ye.
Wha's gaun tae tell her?' some one
said
What Is ity' she asked sharply.
rudy face had grown rale. Speak.
Betty; what is wrOng?"
They're sayln', mistress, that Mr..
Jardine has broke his neck or some.
thin" Biddy blurted out. But l
wudn't be afther heedin' thin If l was
you. It'll not be n word av thruth'll
be int Mt all. at ALL"
But she did not hear the attempt at
comfort; 1t seemed to her she had al
ways known how the story would end.
The servants looked in silent pity at
her white, set face as she passed out
Of the kitchen. She locked the bag in
the safe, and set out for The Willows.
1t was long walk, but she felt the
need Of action. AS she assembled the
hill she could hear the bleating of the
sheep in the fields of The Willows.
She had never guessed till now how
strong hold this place had on her
affections as her future home. A sal
low, dark-orowed woman opened the
door
"Eh. It's no. yersel, Mss Morrison?"
she drily asked. LAY, the masters
he'd sair come down. The doctor says
he's no to be disturbed by naebody."
Then he Is not"
them that hasna been carin' nuckle
what cam tae him."
She stood blocking up the Coor, but
Esther pushed past her.
I'm going to him. Molly" she said.
"Weel, he's in the auld mistresss
chaumber, but III mo- TAX the respon-
sibility-"
Esther went softly along the corridor
and opened the door. A sunbeam
struck through corner of the blind,
but the room looked bare and chilly.
His bandaged head rested on the pill
low; his face was CHASTITY, but his
eyes turned on her with look of glad
surprise.
"Why, Estherv' be said.
Hush, don't speak, Robert. ieard
you were hurt, and l came to you"
Jay, l had near shave. Prince
wOudl't take TIE dyke. I've been
bit reckless this while. Nobody cared.
We see. Esther" His trow contracted
in pain, and he stopped.
Eyes, dear, cared" she whispered,
STOPPING over him. A crimson blush
crept over her face and neck, and she
kissed him on the mouth. Never in all
his long wooing had he yenturel to kiss
her. Surely he must be Crear1ing
now!
You mind what you said to ne. II
l wanted You l must spier you. Get
better, dear, for my sake, and then ycu
will let Lle cone hone to yOu.'
She struggled with her shy price to
bring out the words, and they revived
him like wine. The deadly depression
that had baified the doctors skill Le-
gan to tighten, and the patient revived
with the tonic of hope. Esther left the
Black Bull to the care of her maids,
and nursed her lover back to health.
The doctor rubbed his hands, we'll
pleased. Hes going to do, after ALL"
lie said. But 1 don't know that l
have all the credit of the case. He
was bett on slipping through my en-
gers. Now he wants to get round,
and that's half the battle"
When the roses bloomed white among
the ivy in the porch of The Willows
Esther Jardine came home. John Rob.
inson Is the landlord of the Black Eull,
and The Willows is mora heartsorle
than ever under the rule Ct its thy
mistress.
Now and again memory comes to
her of the sinister visitor that almost
robbed her of life's treasure of love,
and she has learned to be very char.
table in her judgments.-Scotch-
American.