Year: 1859

Not once during the forenoon did he
venture to look towards Annals seat, or
allow himself to pause anywhere in her
vicinity, for fear his ears might be greet
ed by provoking, odious whisper. Not
once I say, but must except the long
recess, during which he watched her eag-
erly, as she bent over her slate, working
out her algebraic problems, apparently
lost to everything about her. Two or
three times he half started from his seat
to go to her assistance, as she knit her
white brows perplexedly, but strange
new feeling like pride, kept him back.
He thought he had never seen her look
half as pretty or loveable as then, as she
sat there bending thoughtfully over her
book, with one white hand running
rapidly and gracefully over her slate
Her dress of dark, crimson cloth, with
its full sleeves, confined at the wrists by
black velvet bands fashioned high in the
neck, but in such a manner as to display
her full, white throat, was strangely be-
coming to her. He had never thought
of it before, but there was certain re-
finement in her taste which was truly
pleasing. 1t was visible in everything
she wore-the dainty cambric collar,
confined at the throat by small cameo
breastpin /; the knots Of black velvet rib
bon fastened about her luxuriant soft
brown braids the petite black, full silk
apron, with its girdle of silk cord, and
full large dropping tassels, and even the
slender, shining little kid boots that
peeped daringly out from the folds of
her ample skirt. In all his life, Arthur
Stone had never looked upon face or fig
ure so pleasing or captivating. But as
he watched her, she raised her eyes to
his face. In moment the pretty seri-
BUSINESS which had rested so becomingly
upon her features, was gone. A provok-
ing smile curled up her rosy mouth, and
went with sudden rush of triumph over
her whole face, diating her finely curved
nostrils, and sweeping like very sunshine
over the blue Of her eyes. making such
rare dimples about her chin, as one
might have supposed to have been fitted
by the cunning forefnger Of Cupid him
self.


Arthur Stone was vexed, but he was
too much a man of the world to allow
the young girl to know how much she
was capable of annoying him, and so,
after the first flame of petty anger had
died out from his cheeks and forehead,
he said, in voice, the GOODNESS of which
surprised even himself:


=" Can be of any assistance to you,
Miss Hawkes. ?"


None, sir, thank you. l have quite
conquered my exercises alone to-dey"


Foolish fellow The very GOODNESS of
his manner betrayed the secret which he
strove to hide. There was little need of
converts if there was nothing to conceal.
And SO it was that the forenoon slipped
unpleasantly away. and the afternoon
came in its stead. The teachers rule so
far was good one. The school was re-
markable for its quietude. If Anna
Hawkes. had not been present. Mr.. Stone
would have counted it success, but as
it was, he was in a constant tremor of
I fear.


A raised hand in the neighborhood Of
her seat. and timid application for as
sistance. was met with something like an
unreasonable frown. In hurried, ner-
vous way, he proceeded to explain away
the difficulty to the timid applicant, anx-
ious to be free from such dangerous sur
roundings. Just as he was congratulate
ing himself upon his success, and about
turning away, rapid, whispered volley
of words ratified past his ears. There
was no avoiding it. He knew the source
from whence they came as well as did
every scholar who heard them. He
could not pass thoughtlessly along.


The dread alarm had come with such
a sudden distinctness as to surprise him
into an involuntary start. Every pair ol
eyes in the school room were turned in
quiringly and curiously to his face. He
was forced into doing his duty. The
heavy beard about his mouth was friend.
ly to him then. for it covered a suspicious
palor that settled there as he turned
about and rested his eyes sternly upor
the blushing, piquant face of Anna
Hawkes.. She was the picture of limo
cence, just then, with her brown lashes
dropped low upon her cheeks. and the
pearly white teeth crushed cruelty dowr
unon the crimson of har lns