Year: 1874

have been in doors all morning." she
said, in her clear, distinct tones az meant
to have written, but Janet positively for
bade that so have been reading be-
lieve-"


Dreaming, you mean ~


GLOW do you know that ?'


By your eyes. can see the bewil-
dering fancies playing there still'


"And you-what have you been doing
since last evening?'


Wondering if last month were all a
dream, and if must at length wake again
to the suffering which went before"
Never / hope" she said, gently
"never again"


"No, at least l shall have the memory
of these weeks to look back upon, even
fate cannot deprive me of that"


"Fate is often kinder than man, am
not afraid of her-it is only the agency of
human beings that dread"


"Those defy"


because you have never been placed in
position where one man could take your
whole future destiny into his hands and
fling it out wheresoever he willed, and you
powerless to struggle against the misery
forced upon you, unable even to point the
source from whence it came"


"I cannot understand that-it is one of
those mysterious illusions which you make
at times but never explain--I will not have
you sadden yourself on me this morning
l wonder if you know how much happiness
you have given me during these weeks %


Have l indeed? You make me very
happy when you tell me that yet possess
the power of giving pleasure to any living
soul, Mr.. Sears"


"You promised not to call me by that
cold, formal name-say William ~


He sat down ON low ottoman at her
feet, with that winning chldishness Of
manner which he could assume at will, but
which had nothing unmanly in it,


William, she murmured cit is o
pleasant name, do not wonder you like to
hear it,"


alt sounds very sweet to me when you
repeat it," he replied, not in the tone of
one paying a compliment, but raising his
eyes to her face full of beautiful revela-
tions, to which no language could have
given expression.


"You were to read to me this morn
ing " she said "have you forgotten your
promise ?'


edo 1 ever forgetP 1t is only fragment
from my new tragedy want your advice
and assistance"


81 who have never written a line of
poetry-the idea of my advising you r'


"You have never written page which





that language must be divided into GER
tain number of feet and lines in order to be
poetry"


"I am glad you think SOL was afraid
it was only another of my heresies which
gave me the belief. But come, must not
be cheated out of my reading. Take
this easy -chair-poets should have lofty
seats"


So he sat and read to her those burning
poesies, while her face was as glass in
which he saw mirrored every VARYING
emotion called up by his tones.
He ceased at length and closed the vol
ume, waiting for a moment in silence
which Catharine did not strive to break.


Shall complete the tragedy ?" he ask
ed, at length els it equal to my last one ?'


You feel you know that it is immeas-
urably superior--you could not leave it un-
finished if you would"


1t is superior" he replied, "because
have caught my inspiration from higher
source-I thought of you as l wrote andin
the intervals of my labor have sat down
in the sunshine of your presence until nv
whole soul was kindled with it,"


"That past seems-I can hardly realize
that it was who thus suffered and strug-
gled Tell me that / shall never be con
demned to return to it--promise me that





which was like Madness"


"If have any power to bring you peace
it shall never come upon you again." she
replied, in low, steady voice, which was
like an inward prayer; "never again."


Bless you for those words, Catharine
During these weeks l have lived so wholly
in their happiness had scarcely told you
of my past"


"The past" she answered, and her
clasped hands began to tremble, "the
past p'


But you know how have suffered, and
you will not condemn me Speak to me,
Catharine, assure me that is indeed the
real life-tell me that you love me-"


Your words have wakeued me-" she
said, in a changed tone, and the light went
out of her face, leaving it pale and cold
"why did you break the spell with that
terrible word? l too have had a pasta
past of which you know nothing, but l can
be silent no longer"


"There is no gulf SO deep" he inter-
rUpted, "that my great love cannot bridge
it over-no cloud so dark that the sun
shine beyond will not disperse it,"


He rose from his seat and would have
taken her to his heart, scarcely needing the
almost terrified expression of her face.


"Catharine," he murmured, "my Cath
arine 70


Before she could answer or stir from her
shrinking attitude the door opened, and
without warning some one entered the
chamber the sound aroused them--each
looked toward the door-William started
forward in amazement, but Catharine sank
back in her seat, pale and rigid as il some
ghost of past suffering had suddenly started
up before her--there in the doorway, calm
and impassive, stood Mr. James - To be