Year: 1861

dropped her arm, and stepped back in as
tonisEnment


why not?" She opened her blue eve


wide upon me with stare Of wonder


You don't think, I'm going to shut nysel


up in pest-house. do you? If I had onl


known, you wouldn't bsye caught me nea
him, I can tell you. I shouldn't wonde
| if had taken the infection already" sh
added, with sbudder. q If there wa
tine for US both to prepare, I would asl
you to accompany me. | can understan,
how you feel at being left in such place.!


g Please betray no uneasiness upon M
| account; my own personal safety is of bu
little consequence, " replied Indignantly
''1 trust | am not slfsh or cowardly enough
to accept such an invitation, if you had The
generosity to make it. | would not deser
a mere acquaintance in such an extremity
as this, and if I stood in the relation wbici
you do towards Mr. Richards, no power
under heaven could tempt me from his side
rs 1t IS. l shall remain with him in discharge
Of the duties which you seem SO willing
to relinquish. I shall only regret your
absence because he will miss YOU"


Agnes flashed her eyes angrily, as she
replied, g Some people viii do ANYTHING
for display. and the sake of being thought
more heroic than common persons. But ]
am not one of the kind | have not the
least ambition for saintsbip Or a martyr
dom, You can do as you choose about
rizihiHg your life, but I thank my stars you
are not mistress of my actions. never
was made for nurse, and I do not intend
to be one at present. It is different with
you, you have no


{. Beauty to spoil, - I interrupted scorn-
fully, for she paused in confusion.


g / didn't say so, though that's true
enough" she retorted But such i'll
tempered people as you never die young. +"


l made no reply, and she stood for a
moment. gathering up her riding-habit
slowly, and beating the carpet in.patiently
with her booted foot


'' But don't let IS part in anger, F" she said
at last, holding out her hand with forced
smile of reconciliation. Il shall want you
to write to me every day how he is getting
on, unless there is danger of taking the
infection by letter And you mustn for
get to tell me If he is pitted with the dis
ease. It's SO shocking! Even if he lives.
which is not likely. he will probably be
horribly Scared Poor fellow. Hes so
handsome nowr'


I did not try to conceal the fiery scorn
that blazed up into my face at her words
but just then faint moan came from the
sick room, and I broke away from her with
al inward feeling Of thank sgiying that Hea-
ven, which had given me an unloyely face,
at least had not made me heartIess I will
not say that enjoyed the duties of the
next four weeks. There was something
terrible in being shut up il that lonely old
house, having no communion with tie out
ward world, breathing foul and conta-
gious atmosphere, hearing no voices but
those ofthe faithfulold physician in bis dai-
ly visits and the de!irious murmurs of the
sick man. My uncle aud aunt were still
away, as I had refrained from sending for
them until the house might be entered
without danger. And so there was no
hand but mine to bathc the fevered brow,
and mix the cooling drinks-no one to
share with me the wearying offices of the
sick room. But at last, thank God, there
came a day Of reason and coavaIcscense
a day when the physician said all danger
was over. and praised my skillful nursing
as the saving Of Edgar's life. It was tie
second week In his convalescence-a rainy
day in August, and at Edgar's request I
had kindled a fire in the CRATE, and drawn
his easy lounging chair up before it


Zone thing more, before I shall let my
patient little nurse sit down, he said, as
drew my chair up b.side him s:Will
you bring me the little rosewood box from
the table in my room? wish very much
to open it.


I got it for him, and taking book sat
down byhis side


''See Mary, is it not beautiful said he


I looked up. He was holding a sunny
ringlet Of hair towards me, that need, d no
second glance to tell me from whose head
it had been shorn. 1t curled silky about
his fingers, like ring of amber less, but
the sight Of it stirred up all the latent Bit
terneSS OF my nature.


'Ycs. Miss Brown had beautiful hair,
I replied, biting my lips to keep harsher
words in check.


why do you always call her Miss
Brown?" Do you not think with me that
she has a sweet name-Agnes?' be asked.
pronouncing the syllables lingeringly, and
looking at ne curiously.


''You cannot expect me to feel as you
DO, lover partiality for it, and l bent
persistently over my book as I spoke.


The next moment / heard something
singing in the CRATE. and looking up saw
that the curl was gone from Edgar hand,
But surprise kept me silent,


s'Please excuse me for interruptipg you
again, he said "but want your opin-
ion Of this miniature"


l took it from his hand. It was the pic
tured face of Agnes Brown. There were
the dainty mouth, the delicately arehed
brows, the cloud Of curls, and | thought as
/ looked at it that the blue eyes put On
their old look Of triumph and exultation.
I gave it back to Lin without comment,
and turned again to my book. Something
followed the curl into the CRATE, and if /
hadn's been reading too attentively to be
sure of anything, should have said it was
the portrait.


"And see all these notes aud letters she
has written me, - he continued awe have
LII 6, &c 7