Year: 1877

after her housekeeping, congratulating
herself that everything promised well for
her scheme, Flora was perhaps Il trifle
giddy and girlish for clcrgyman's wife,
but she would outlive all that and what
an excellent thing it would be for Mrs.
Gascogine, whose abilities would never
have fair play if he married any poor
girl about Haphazard, and lived from
hand to mouth, SO to speak, with none OF
the opportunities which money could
Offer ;and rs for Flora, she might bless
he stars il he preferred her, if he had
no inconvenent scruples about marrying
a rich woman.


The summer weather was fine at Hap
hazard, and il Mr.. Gascoigne begged the
| ladies to visit some poor or invalid par
isioner in his company it usually ended
by Flora going with him alone, Bell hav,
ing found some urgent duty to detain
her at home at the last minute; and Flora
developed quite talent for cheering the
sick-room AID dispensing luxuries to the
needy it was Il role of which she lelshed
the novelty amazingly.


You were plainly intended for clcr,
gyman's wife" blundered Mr. Gascrignc,
in moment OF grateful enthusiasm; and
then he colored, and added, hastily


"The lame, halt and blind are al! sing
ing your praises"


Whata diScord it must be !" returned
Flora. 81 think | should prefer a solo"


The claims of the parish, however,
were not 50 exacting but he could devote
some leisure to the poets, sitting in the
yine-covered arbor, while Bell and Flora
worked and listened-except when Bell
remembered she had omitted to leave or
ders for the grocer, or had neglected some
important household affair, and excused
herself fort long half-hour, begging them
to 90 on with the reading. And when
she returned, she was always pleased to
find that the book had been closed for the
nonce. If re had not been reading, then
of course he had been doing what he liked
better And he would say: owe have
been waiting for you, Miss Bell he
had fallen into the habit OF calling her
"Miss Bell" during these familiar
seanCCs,


Il sha'n't dare to run away if | am
going to spoil your pleasure So" she re-
piled.


"You certainly do spoil it when you
leave u.s." he would gallantly retort.


If they went for an afternoons picnic
to the top of Chrome cliff with their
supper packed in a hamper, Bell fell to
sketching bend of the river, with the
willows dipping above it and swallows
skimming low, and Flora and Mr.. Gas
coigne were naturally left to their own
devices. It they went out for an even
ing's entertainment which even Hap.
hazard afforded at times when summer
guests were plenty - Bell remembered
the latch-key as soon as they We're be
yond the gate, or she had left window
open where burglars and showers might
enter, or she never failed of some valid
excuse for falling behind for refusing
Mr.. GasCOiyne's arm either both hands
were necessary to keep her skirts from
the mud, or the country sidewalk was
too narrow for three abreast And yet
there was nothing obvious or awkward
in Miss Raymond's scheming. 1t all
came about aS naturally as ii foreor-
dancd and if Mr.. Gascoigne was some
times little vexed that he could not be
trusted to find the latch key, close the
window or fetch the umbrella, Flora
would say ITS Bells way; she was
Just so at Nine Buhl's-always would
wait upon herself"


1t had never been Bells way, however
to linger in the vestibue after church
but now she found it convenient to ask
old Mrs. koss about her rheumatism, and
Mrs. Martha Meeks about her grandson
fishing at the Labrador. And by that
time the Reverend Clarence had put off
the gown and made his way to the church
door, where Flora welcomed him. and
Bell nodded and begged they would walk
on and let her Overtakc them; she must
speak to the sexton about his sick chiId
or see the treasurer OF the Mite So.
cietv-only she never did overtake them.
The treasurer had proved garrulous, and
the sexton had set his heart upon show
ing her the head.stOne he had got up to
his first wife. If she found them sitting
alone in the embrasure of the open win
iDW, StHuN my lhc NoISttiittl'hi "il'
moved softly away. Who could tell?-
it might be the decisive moment.


1t so happened that Just at this time
Mrs. Raymond fell i'll. Flora proposed
going home, but Bell stoutly vetoed the
proposition. /" 1t will he 50 lonesome for
Mr. Gascoigne," she said "Aud Aunt
Milly will be up again soon. No; do
you stop and pour tea at table, and play
at housekeeping, and make it little like
home for the poor fellow


"Seems to me you are very anxious
about his welfare said Flora, but stayed
a. she was bdden, and poured his tea,
whiled away his leisure hours, beat him
at chess, visited his sick, listened to his
views, filed the place of the absent 50.
prano in his choir, and borrowed his old
sermons for private reading, while Bell
spent her time administering hourly
doses, concoctng gruels and dainties to
tempt the appetite, and waiting in a
darkened room by day, after broken
nights. Perhaps it was the effect of over
taxed nerves and depressed spirits, or
perhaps Miss Raymond had misunder.
stood her interest in Mr.. Gascoigne, but
as she left her patient doing one night,
and paused a moment, leaning out the
hall window to commune with the even
ing star and the last tender effulgence
of sunset, the sight of Flora and Mr.. Gas.
goigne petng each other with roses in the
garden below smOte her with sense
OF something alien and cruel. Her alb
sence did not affect thsir enjoyment they
had forgotten her in the delight OF being
together; and for the first time a selfish
sorrow stirred in her heart and filled her
eyes with sudden tears Did she grudge
them their happiness ~ she asked her
self. "Was not success enough for herr"


When Flora had CONC to her room that
night Bell knocked at the door and
went in.