Year: 1865

world do you think came to the Hollie


last night?" Not even my thought


suggested the right person.


No, no, said Milly, as I named on


or two; "no; but Cousin Mark VIII
went away to India years agol I was


mere child at the time, but rememberer


him instantly compliment he did no
return, by the by =; though, when h


heard who was, he asked after you"


Years ago, was it, since Mark wen
away Ahi as Milly spoke it seemed
only yesterday; the joy, the sorrow, tn,
old pains, so freshly new, we're throbbins
so wildly once more at my heart. H,
had not quite forgotten me, then bu
he did remember me as 1 remembered
him


al do believe you have forgotten al
about him." Milly went on " and, lei
me tell you, 1 wonder at that, for re-
member he used to be so fond of talking
to you, Hetty, and he is the kind of man
that women may be proud of attracting
none the less because he cares very lit
tie, I should say, for women in general


REALLY, Milly, dear, you seem to
have studied Mr.. Sutherland very close
| ly, considering this may be your first ac-
quaintance with him."


She laughed, blushed, and threw back
her beautiful golden hair


No, | don't know as I have he de-
voted himself to me a good deal this
evening, and couldn't help forming my
opinion, you know. There is to be a
erOquet party tomorrow at the Hollies,
and Mr.. Sutherland made me promise to
come up and bring you, if you would
come, but 1 told him, beforehand, that
I knew you would not, knowing your dis
like to that delectable means for the pro-
motion Of flirting.


And after this it happened that Milly
either went, or was sent for, nearly every
day up the Hollies-where, indeed, she
was very much in the habit of going
while I, who had long ago ceased to care
for my companionship beside my sisters,
sat at home, longing with a feverish
louging to see Mark Sutherland once
more, and yet dreading with a siekening
Tread to meet the careless, estranged
glance of the dark eyes that had looked
once into mine, full of love.


It seemed that Mark not unfrequently
accompanied MiIly part of the way
home but he never came near enough
10 our cottage for me to catch even the
most distant glimpse Of him, and my lit
lie sister had somehow ceased to talk of
him after the first. So, though I still
knew he staid at the Hollies, he might
almost as we'll have been across the wide
ocean as far as I was concerned. And
vet-oh. no the sense of his presence
seemed borne 70 me upon every breath
Of the sweet Summer air that aoated into
my room. I could not sleep at night
nor rest calmly by day; and often, while
Nilly sat with her friends I used to wan
der out, scarce heedingwbero I went, i'm
patiently only Of rest


One day, when this terrible yearning
was strong upon me, I took my sketch
ing materials, from force Of habit. and
sent out to walk to a pretty wood at
some distance The cool green, fragrance
of the leafy shadows was grateful after
the glaring sunshine, and l sat down to
rest where they felt coolest But a sud-
den sound of laughter and merry voices
close at hand startled me, and, not want
ing to see who the speakers we're, [ got
up and fed swiftly down the darkest and
most tangled Of the paths that branched
away into the heart of the wood. I soon
left the merry voices far behind me. and
slackening my walk, I wandered on,
dreamy and absorbed as ever, till, sud
denly turning into another path, I saw
what caused me to stand still and forget
everything but what nv eyes looked
upon. Mark Sutherland yes, Mark,
older, darker, thinner, but Mark himself
All, how the green marshes and the
winding seawall, and the lark singing far
up in the sky, all foated before my eyes,
as I saw the downward bend of his state
" head to look into the face beside him
the face that looked up into his, with
those candid blue eyes, ana a smile upon
the soft parted lips. The smile seemed
to reflect itself upon Marks grave face
for an instant, and then he took up lit
tie hand lying on his arm and kissed it
tenderly. 1 looked no longer, 1 crept
away; stricken with a dumb anguish, a
dreadful sullen despair, 1 crept away and
went home. For I knew the candid
blue eyes, the sweet smile, and the float
ing golden hair; they were my sister
Milly's. Oh, had I not done enough !?
had I not sacrificed enough ? was my
cup not vet so full but that this bitter
drop must be added to its overflow?


So cried out in my anguish, and it
was long before better thoughts came to
me. or that coming, l could hold them
firmly and take comfort. But by-and-b by
[ rose from where I had flung myself
down. and sat by the window to watch
for MiIly. She came along presently in
the quiet evening light, and 1 looked at
her with my eyes freshly opened. l had
never vet ceased to think of her as
child [ realized in one minute now that
child was a woman. I looked at the
beautiful fresh young face, and involun-
tarily glanced at the reflection Of my
own in the mirror opposite. 1 never
could have been in my best days what
Milly was; and now-I turned away
with sigh from the image Of that faded
women, with pale lips and weary dark
eyes.


MilIy came in the next instant, threw
off her hat, aud, coming up beside me,