Year: 1869

others of the party, and was just cross
ing tho brook on slippery log, wheI
Mr.. Burton's dog, Fido, sprang out O
the thicket and howled at her. Mag
gle screamed and fell into the water
It was not more than eight or ter
inches deep, so there was no great
danger of drowning. But Mr.. Burton
leaped forward as though he thought
there might be, and brought her safe.
~ to shore OF course she was very
grateful, and it was like anovel, only Il
the water had been little deeper, but
it was not Mr.. Burton fault, and sure
ly he had done his part to perfection.


Maggie was sure that her hero had
come. But alas he had made his APP
pearance too late She was pledged to
another.


Well, they met after this daily. Mr..
Burton was always coming over to
sketch the lake just behind Aunt An
mas cottage, and it took such long
time to accomplish it, and he had to
ask Maggie's opinion so frequently,
that the summer slipped by, and il
was the last of August, and the sketch
es were quite as far from completion
as ever.


Meanwhile, the old story had been
told, and Maggie knew herself beloved
by this man, whom she fancied filed
her heart TO the exclusion of every
other image. She confessed TO him
her engagement, and, with his sane
ton, wrote John brief little note ex-
planning to him how it was that she de-
sired to be released.


In due time the answer came back.
John wrote very kindly-almost too
kindly to please Maggie. He had not
loved her much, she said, poutingly,
else he would have felt more Mt giving
her up. He was glad that she had
such beautiful prospect for happi-
ness-he wrote, that would help him
to bear his disappointment. He hoped
that she would be blessed in the choice
she had made, and she must consider
him as her friend always.


Maggie went off to her chamber, and
cried over the letter it was so cold,
she said, and he had pretended to care
so much for her. The silly little goose
would doubtless have been much bet
ter pleased if John had spoken of sui
eide and discoursed largely of poison,
pistols and hemp.


In September, Victor left Chelms-
ford. They had very affecting leave
taking. Maggie firmly believed she
would die if she did not see Victor
every day. As for Victor, he looked
quite lean and hollow-eyed when he
mounted the stage coach to begin his
journey the next morning. He prom
ised to write twice n week, which was
modest considering the fervOr of their
love.


For three or four weeks he kept his
promise, and his letters raised Maggie
to the seventh heaven, but by-and-by
the thing got old, and it was irksome
to be always writing letters, even to
her. After time it came to pass that
weeks went by and the girl did not
hear from him. Before the end of Feb
ruary he ceased writing altogether,
and there was a blank until May.


Maggie was proud, and scorned to
ask an explanation. Life was void and
dull To her, but she bore her pain si-
lently. John Martin was in New Or
leans, and said nothing in his letters to
his sister, who was his only relative,
about returning home.


One day toward the close of May
Maggie read the notice of Victor Bur-
tons marriage to Miss Letitia STAN
hope. She read it twice before she
seemed to realized the meaning of the
printed words. She had heard of Miss
Stanhope-a beautiful wealthy young
lady, and the ward of Victor's father.


Aunt Anna found Maggie lying on
the carpet with the paper clutched in
her hand, but to all her cries and en-
treaties the poor little girl returned no
answer. For days she lay in that
dreadful stupor so closely resembling
death, and when there was q change il
was to the wild delirium of fever. II
was August before she was able to &C
out, and few would have recognized
the beautiful, light hearted girl, Mag
gle, in the pale faced, sad-eyed wo
man who went SO sadly about the cot.
tage.


A month later there was another no.
tice in the weekly paper-the same pa
per which had contained the marriage
notice-the death of Letitia, wife O
Victor Burton; thrown from car
riage and died from injuries received


1t was very soon-but he excused
himself by one of the many sophistriei
which men in his position use, tha
Victor came to Chelmsford think i
was no later than the middle of No
yember. He sought Maggie, and tolc
over to her again the same story ht
had made so sweet to her ears in thu
summer that was year gone. He haG
only loved her always. Pecuniary EN-
barrassment had forced him to take
rich wife, but his heart had never wan
dered from its allegiance to Maggie
And when q proper time had elapsed
he wanted her for his wife.


Maggie listened quietly until he hat
finished; then she put away the hant
that would have taken hers, and said
coldly:


"My love for you died long ago,
know my heart now, and you have n
place there. Go and leave me"
i He entreated, and got angry, an
she left him to himself. A week af
] forwards he sailed for Australia.
1t was December again-the nigh
before Christmas. Maggie was lyinI
on the sofa before the sitting room fire
q kept there by one of those wretche
J headaches which seem to be the espe