Year: 1860


me the intent, searching gaze


Maurice, dare | give you 9 welcome z"


She sprang forward and threw her arms
around his neck Is it possible that be can
put her from him without O moments return of
the old loye-an involuntary response to the
thrilling embrace Yes be frees himself
gently bat coldly, and taking her by the hand,
leads her back without a word into the room.
He has her now in the full blaze of the fire
light aud he still keeps his hold of her hand
his scrutiny of her face How altered has
his own become how pale and worn When
he spoke at length, the mingled restraint and
anguish of bis voice made my heart ache
You have not received my letter this morn
ing, Isabel ? You are always careless stu
dent of the newspaper You do not know Z"
\ "Here is your letter thare lies the news
paper. ] am sorry, Maurice--I am deeply
sorry. l love wealth, as you know | dread
poverty but if it was the only price at which
your faith in me could be bought, | am glad
we are poor have not always loved you
but love you now have not done my duty
hitherto-I will try and do it now. Believe
me-help me !"


He turned from her and covered bis face
with bis hand


"It is Yoman's generosity y he said
4" the sex's passion for selfsacrifce w


!" 1t is woman's passion, wife's love-"
she answered. raising her glowing face
Maurice is it for me to plead Z" She made
as if she would have knelt before him, and
threw her arms around his knees.


/ waited just one half moment to assure
myself, with an old Womap's love Of demon
Straton that she did not plead in vain. |
saw him raise her in his arms saw the pas
sionate kiss that sealed the renewed troth, and
indiStinctly heard, as | fitted away through
the dim corridor, the tones Of his voice tremu-
Ions with more than a lovers ferYor.


Three months later, Mr. and Mrs Lorimer
sailed for Montreal, where the former had
brother established as a merchant. There
were not many tears shed by either, for in
that time their love and mutual dependence
had grown so strong and intimate that no
grief seemed intolerable which they shared to-
gether In the arrangement of his affairs he
had been aetuated but by one motive-to sat
iSfy every claim as far as the most scruprlous
honor dictated, even to the last fraction of his
estate Three hundred year had been atiiX
ed to Isabel by marriagesettlement but by
some legal inadvertency, the deed proved in-
valid, and her little fortune went in the gener
al wreck. Mr. Lorimer regretted the loss,
but i know Isabel was glad oft. Her last
words, as we parted on the deck Of the vessel
were to me 1--WE shall not come back to
Old England again." she said gaily, " till We
have grown rich enough to buy back Morton
Leas so don't fail to let US know when it is
in the market"


This was said ten years ago. and now my
old heart beats with the hope of seeing them
once more. To-day | received my periodical
letter from Montreal, and what says Isabel !?
"We are coming home, Aunt Sarah, to realize
my prophecy Morton Leas is in The market,
though you have kept treacherous silence F.;
nay, it is doubtless our own already. Tell my
father that Maurice says there shall be no de-
lay in making a rigorous entail of the estate
and how proud shall you and | be, my below
ed aunt-motheF, 10 watch cur boy dying his
kite over his inalienable acres.