Year: 1868

from her will that she was no timid
girl, to be frightened into obedi
ence.
So I let the future go, and lived
in the present; and every evening
Olive met me, and we walked in
Elm Grove and talked as only low
ers, young as we were, can talk to
gether; and built such air castles
as only such as we were, ever build.
Miss Noble never. guessed; but
there was one who did, Norah Shaw,
my old masters daughter. When
I first began to learn his trade, l
thought the girl pretty and good; !;
but after I knew Olive there was
no other beauty for me, ana before
long 1 saw Norah as she was-not
good, not pure at heart, venom in
her temper, and a sly leaning to-
wards ill, that made me shudder to
think 1 was so near loving her once,
for her red cheeks and blue eyes.
Perhaps I had shown my liking in
those old days, over plainly, for
Norah Shaw was angry at me for
my neglect, and jealous of my love
for Olive. She revenged herself by
jeering at me, setting the other lads
to teaze me, and talking before me,
of Miss Mobiles pride.


"Whoever may fancy Olive, she'll
never marry any but rich man, y
she said so often that I longed to
tell her she was promised to me,
and silence her. ..-..


At last she found it out for her
self, coming upon us in Elm Grove,
with my arm about Olives waist,
and her head upon my shoulder.


That evening 1 saw Norah Shaw
stealing slyly through the garden
gate, in the rear of Miss Mobiles
house, and fancied 1 could catch a
glimpse of the spinster's black silk
gown behind the foliage of the Ii
lac leaves. 1t BODIED i'll, I thought,
and expected some angry message
from Miss Noble, SO that I should
not meet Olive that evening, as
usual.


1 was wrong. She met me and
she at least had no knowledge of
the visit. Then Norah seemed to
grow friendly toward me, and wheth-
er I would or no, met me often as /
walked from church on Sunday
mornings, and kept beside me thro'
the village.


Once / saw Olive looking after
us from the little gig in which Miss
Noble always drove her niece and
herself homeward. That was the
day on which Norah, who was,
when she was merry, perfect romp,
stole the garnet ring l had worn so
long on my little finger, and would
not give it back. 1t was my moth
er's once; but I could not be rude
to the girl and as she left me at
old Shaw's door she said:


II don't mean to steal it, Grant
Ellis. You shall have it back next
Sunday


So l had /; but I thought little of
rings just then or Of aught else, for
that morning there had come to me
little note from Olive, and thus it
ran:


"When I deceived my aunt. Grant
Ellis, l deserved to be deceived myself.
1 own tn at. yet none the more honora-
ble in yon to do it. Why should you
choose me to make a fool of and WOO by
stealth. willie


''There I'll not WI ite the words down.
l. hot
only write that you may know how l
despise you. Oh, if only could for
get that ever cared for you-that
ever believed you manly and true. 1t
is over now, Grant Ellis, and my only
wish is never to be reminded of my
folly by seeing you.'


I clenched this letter in nv hand,
and regardless of Miss Mobiles
wrath, marched straight to her
house. I asked for Miss Olive
The servant laughed. "She left
two days ago. she said. 'Gone to
a boarding school, I think. OF
course you don't want to see Miss
Noble"


But 1 did, and found the lady up
right and grim, reading her prayer
book in the breakfast parlor. Be-
fore could utter word she spoke.


"You have done very silly thing
in coming here, young man." she
said. my niece has confessed all
to me and has been forgiven. She
never wishes to see you again, mol
do l." -...--'...


"But what has happened-who
has maligned me p asked. 81
must know, or I cannot defend my
self. Believe me, Madam, I"


Bridget, the door, said Miss
Noble. "You will be kind enough
never to enter it again, young man. %


And I followed the servant to the
hall, for it was worse than useless
to remain. E- r..


A week after, Norah Shaw went
to live at Miss Mobiles, as some
thing between seamstress and com
panion, I believe; for though
strove to draw the truth from
her when we met, she would only
declare that she had only been to
Miss Noble's to carry home some
laces she had mended, and that she
had said no harm Of me. Soon
left Hepburn and went to a great
city to live. There l discovered
that the carving and gliding of
wood was not, as I thought, my
passion; that clay and marble were
the things ] longed to carve.


I studied hard, as men can only
study when all other objects have
been torn from them-when Art
lives in place of Love and Home,
and the warm kiss of the wife, and
the gentle touch Of baby hands, and
all the holy things of life.


became a sculptor, and gained
some fame and some gold. The
first valued, but the latter was no
iOV TO me- for whom had t0 Inv