Year: 1868

L am not AFRAID OF LnaJ, ne SIN l.
ingly replied land l should like to
be aule to do this for you. But if the
girl is i'll, l suppose nothing can be
done?"


"Oh, no, of course not, unless | can
coax Dutille to do the rest of the
quillIngs, herself. But it is really
too much trouble to ask of you"
However, Mr.. Alton insisted upon
going; and, after some further talk,
it was agreed that Miss Bond should
get the address, and shat he would
hunt up the seamstress.


>" suppose he intends to offer her
something handsome to induce her to
do it" said Mrs. Bond, after he was
gone / think, Ella, you have him,
surely, now. 1t was almost like an
accepted lover to offer to do this"
And the mother and daughter con-
graduated themselves on their sue
sess for, about those davs. things
were almost at the last gasp with the
Bonds. Mrs Bond was trembling on
the edge of bankruptcy; and the whole
family were looking forward to the
hope of this wealthy marriage for Ella
as a means of rescue from otherwise
hopeless embarrassments.
Meantime, Mr.. Alton walked away
from the house, thinking a good deal
of the young lady he had left. He
admired her on many accounts. Since
his return from Europe, he had been
more attracted by her than by any
woman he had met. There was a
brightness about her, a sparkle in her
manner, that pleased him and, wea-
ried by long rowing, he had very near
ly decided to propose to her, and so,
settle for life But something in her
manner had Jared upon him. There
was a hardness IN her tone when she
talked of the poor, sewing giEl that
shocked him. Even when he had
spoken of the real illness of the for
lorn toiler, it had made no impression
upon her. There had been no kindly
suggestions of charity and good will
from Miss Ella-only profound in
difference to everything but her dress.


Then Mr.. Atoms thoughts wander
ed back, as they often did, to the one
love of his early hfe-the gentle, Blue
eyed girl he had known IN his boyish
home How kind she was in illness :;
what ministering angel she had been
to the sick and poor in the neighbor-
hood but she had doubtless forgotten
him long ago. He had heard of her
marriage while he was in Europe; the
promise she had given him when they
parted she had broken. But, although
he WIS rec to marry now, he felt,
even when be was with Ella, that he
should take the step rather from
sense of duty than from any such hope
of happiness as he had dreamed of
when he stood under the chestnuts in
the moonlight with that fair girl by
his side.


May" h had whispered then, " if
you will not be engaged to me, Will
you, at least, promise not to marry
till | return ~


And May had given him the pledge,
so solemnly that he had never doubted
she would keep it. However, that
was all past now, and it was folly
for him to think of it. Still. Ella
Bond was a very pretty girl, and
would grace his handsome home. So
he went back to see her again, and
was very devoted in his manner.
lingering long with her after he had
got the address he came for, yet part
ing with her, after all, without the de
cisive word.


at does not come from the heart, :"
he thought. Is this surface tender
ness all have to give to such fas-
cinating creature as that p


Then he drove away to find the
sewing girl, as he had promised. 1t
was not very far, after all, from Elias
own home-only across an evenue or
so. Mr.. Alton made his way through
one of row Of tenement houses, up
all the dingy stair-cases to the top
floor and back room, where he had
been directed But he had knocked
twice at the door before feeble voice
reached him that seemed to authorize
his entrance


He bowed his tall form to 90 under
the low doorway; and then found
himself IN a small room, neatly fur
uIohGt, dIIltu1t tHtti ltSSr ptNdItSt
without fire. The sun was shining.
however, and through the one small
window, which was open to admit the
warmth and brightness, the beams fell
in a shower of glory on the golden
hair and pale but lovely face of the
young girl who lay on the low bed.
She turned in startled surprise at the
sound of the strangers entrance; then
her blue eyes dilated with look Of
intense happiness, and she held out
her thin arms with glad cry


Tom Tom have you come at
last? 2"


Mr.. Alton sprang to her side
" Nav :" he said - May I" Then he
drew back suddenly, ana added. /
had no thought OF finding you here,
Mrs. Clinton"


The light faded suddenly out Of the
fair face, and the sweet lips trembled
as she faitered her answer


Forgive me, Mr.. Alton. had
forgotten, for a moment. how long it
was since we met but you are mis-
taken-I am not Mrs, Clinton


And are you Mary Johnson, yeti"
he asked.


Surely"