Year: 1865

in their college days, and many a re-
miniscence, gay, pleasant, and some
sad, Of the old by-gone hours foated
up. Suddenly the quick eye Of Mat
Ward caught the glittering chain his
friend still held, softly winding it about
his hand.


You are binding yourself with Ag.
gie's chain already. | see. 1t is a
fashion girls have, bind man, hand
and foot, fast and tight Better bind
it about your throat, Latham, and wear
your chain gracefully; it is dangerous,
hover, for accidentally it might throt-
tie you.'


4 shall be happy to wear so fair
lady's chain, if she allow smiled the
gentleman; they would always be
golden, and never weary, never eorrode
and become iron links upon the captive.
VIII you waltz with me, Miss Merle 2


The dancers moved off to the soft,
voluptuous music, keeping the perfect
time that made the motion seem the
effort of one yolition. Mat Ward stood
looking after them moment, caught
the glance of his cousin, as the bright
face smiled upon him, and walked away,
thinking, Il hope you will never find
one who will not love and cherish you
as you deserve, as | would love and
care for you if you were mine, darling
Aggie.'


But the dancers moved on and knew
not the thoughts of the heart left be-
hind them. On they glided, around
and around, still around, as if swayed
by gentle wind. The soft sweep of
her garments ever his feet. the touch of
the dainty hand, the warm, perfumed
breath-the waltzer glowed and thrill
ed with every wave of motion, felt a
thrill that made him look in wonder on
the girl by his side, that she should so
move him, who had seen a thousand
women more fair :; the daughters of the
Southern sun, the snowy, blue-eyed
children of the Northern skies, the
grand, the beautiful, the high born
danes Of many noble house. He had
seen these upmoved, and this girl, who
among their ranks would be an unno-
ticed wild flower in a parterre Of exotic
bloom, had, in the first hour he saw her,
a power they had never possessed. He
wondered at himself. Still swept the
music about them, swept them about
with it, whispering of the blue of the
skies of Italy, the tender languor of
her suns swayed them as the wind
lifts and bends the leaves of summer;
bore them along as it rose and fell, rose
again and died away. They trod the
measures in a dream. With longer
sweep they left the circle and dropped
into walk, still with the dreamy music
surging through their veins, beating in
their pulses; out under the moon, be-
fore the solemn stars.


DO you remember l have your
chain? Here it is, only little golden
thread, very slight and fragile looking,
in reality strong. 1t illustrates we'll
the chain your cousin in jest pronounced
it to be. Will you let me have it,
Miss Merle? Will you let me wear it,
wear your chain? VIII you put it
about my throat and fasten it there,
Miss Merle-Agnes!'


The handsome head bowed itself
down, the strong, firm hands held out
the slender chain toward her. With
the music still beating in her pulses,
with the dreamy waltz still haunting
her brain, the searching eyes bent upon
her, with soft light in them now, ten
der, beseeching, the chain held out to-
ward her, the head bowed waiting, she
took it quietly, reached it about his
throat and clasped it there.


Now | am your captive no power
but the hands that have clasped it there
shall have power to unloose it,


After moonlight and starbeams then
the dear sunshine, after night ten the
daybreak, and one day follows another.
So the days were born and died, some
rung in by the sweet clash and clangor