Year: 1879

womanly tenderness and devotion, that
I felt as if she was an angel bending over
the vilest Of mortals. That prayer went
to my heart; but one portion went
through it and held it captive. Never
shall forget my feeling of surprise and
nay deep emotion when I heard her utter
these words: 'Bless my dear mother,
sisters and friends; bless all around me,
and, 0 God! bless Linn / love, August
Evergreen, and shower down thy n4ercies
over him. Amen" ''Ah, Augustus, p"
said my divinity to herself, as she arose
from her devotional attitude, If you but
knew that named your very name in my
prayers, yon would be less Indifferent to
mel"


II ] breathed short before, after this
my breath seemed to desert me entirely,
and l verify thought that the beating of
my heart would betray me. Belle, pure
as an angel to me then, and white as a
snow flake, proceeded to turn off the gas
and get into bed. I felt her soft pressure
over my head, and shrunk closer and
closer to the hard floor upon which was
extended. What thoughtsrushed through
my brains. Above me lay young and
unsopListicated girl wholly unconscious
that the one she loved lay so closely to
her, and who had for the first time been
made aware of her interest in him, by
hearing words which she supposed went
only to Heaven! | knew then that the
night must pass away, and the morning
come, and that Belle must first leave the
apartment before | could venture to
change oven my position.


Belle had lain perfectly motionless for
several minutes, and was, L fattered
myself, losing herself in sleep, when
suddenly she exclaimed to herself
"There, [ haven't looked under the bed!''
i horror ran through me; all is lost;
what should I do? Belle rose, and I heard
her feeling for the matches. She struck
one, and was moving toward the gaslight
when the lucifer went out, leaving all
darkness again. Blessed relief; but how
brief! Again l heard her feeling for the
matches. and try to light one after an
other, as they failed to ignite; then an
"Oh, dear, there are no more!" escaped
from her lips, ''Safe. safe," whispered
my soul to me, and thanked God in
silence for my deliverance. Belle groped
back to the bed, but did not Immediately
get in; she stopped and lifted the cur
tains which hung around the bottom and
| cautiously passed her arm under and
around as far as she could reach. | al
most felt her fingers Craze my face as I
held myself fearfully and silently back
against the wall, too far, just too far for
her reach. Apparently satisfied that no
danger was near her, she lay down in the
bed again and counted her respiration
till she was lost in slumber.


As for myself, sleep was entirely out
Of the question. L was never so wide
awake in my life. How lag upon that
hard carpet and thought the night out.
thought Of her and my love for her.
Yes, | was convinced from that moment
that the hand Of destinity was in it, and
that benign and all-wise Providence
bad seen fit in this extraordinary way to
open my eyes to the path of happiness
and peace.


With the morning light, fresh fears
came upon me lest my unconscious room
mate might yet peer beneath the bed for
robbers before she left the room; bus my
fears were groundIess. She rose and
dressed expeditiously, for she was to join
her cousins at an early breakfast, and
she had oversight herself. When at last
she took the key. unlocked the door and
departed, I lost no time in slipping out
of my shameful place of concealment
and escaping from the hotel. On the
stairs I met Fred coming out of his
room, who exclaimed:


"Why, what's the matter with you, old
fellow? You look like the last days of
an ill-spent life. And your coat, too
why, it's all over feathers and dust.
Where hare you been?"


'Why, 1 slept-slept out last night
that's all. Our house is full, and so |
had to find quarters elsewhere. I'm 60
ing home to dress.


Il should say so decidedly. L see it
all, old fellow! You've been on lark,
and had to put up III the watch-house;
come now, own up and tell us all about
it."


no lark at all, Frod; nothing of the
kind, assure you


''Wen if not a lark, what kind of a
bird was it? From the looks of the
feathers [ should say it was a goose"


"You're the goose, Fred. But, ser,
iopsly, I've word to say to you of the
most important nature. BE man, Fred,
and make up your mind to hear some
thing excessively disagreeable. 1t must
be told you sooner or later, and may as
well tell you now"


Good heavens, Gus. how earnest you
look at me; you don't mean to say that
that anything has happened to Belle
Bronson2"


Don't mention her name, again, Fred
CT think OF her any more, for she never
be anything to you. I have it from one
| who knows ell about it, and she has long
been attached to somebody else, and that
somebody else means to marry her.
There's no mistake about it; so bear ur
and try your luck elsewhere.


1 But Fred Evans was not to be discour-
aged by mere hearsay. That very day
! he went to see Belle, determined to know
( r.. r,.o e~,r> 1o~ 1rrp l5re Gosop afta