Year: 1878

Colonel Dacre now looked BACK, Win
mixture of amusement and wonder, upon the
time when he had fretted over the pros
pect of having the routine of bis solitary life
disturbed, by the invasion of new conner
into his quiet home. So frightened was the
cid mansion by the presence OF the young
girl whose coming he had almost dreaded
that it seemed to him as though all the sun
shine that beamed upon it had come there
with her. And yet, quieter, stiller presence
than hers could scarcely have been found
Her soft movements, her gentle tones-her
laugh never ringing gleefully out, but ripping
low like the murmur of brook-her placid
languor of look and air, reminded you Of
some sleepy summer legend, over which a
spell of Incidence and repose was cast. Yet
something in the very softnesss and passive
calm appealed to the fervent, energetic ma
ture of her guardian, as such contrasting ma
lures sometimes do, with peculiar and ever
strengthening power. That Mary was beau
ul-picturesquely, charmingly beautiful
there was no doubt, and few men are insensi-
BILE to this attraction. Still, it was not this
which operated most strongly upon him, for
a mere surface charm could never have won
his heart. He read, beneath her languid ex-
terror, something that had not yet been
brought into play, and believed that judi
cious hand might waken her dormant ener-
pies into life, and develop higher and
nobler phase of character than she had hith-
erto displayed. But even as she was, she
grew very rapidly into his affection, and he
scarcely desired to see her changed.


Mary accepted his tenderness and protect
ing care as she had done everything all her life 3;
as perfectly natural, reasonable, and her due.
1t seemed right for her to sit down and have
kindness and indulgence lavished upon her,
because she had done this all her life; yet
she was grateful, in an undemonstrative way.
for the pains the Colonel took to make her
happy, and rewarded him by showing him
that she ,oas quite happy and content.


How it came about that he first began to
discover that she was dearer to him than
daughter could ever have been, cannot say;
but this knowledge did dawn upon him after
a while He had been deluding himself with
the belief that he had but been filling her
fathers place-tbe place, rather, that her
father should have filled, but never had; but
the delusion crumbled away one day, and his
ewes were opened to the truth. His heart
had grown young again, and from the ashes
of a long. buried love, a new love had sprung
into life. 80


He was perplexed-he was dismayed! He
knew not how to act. 1t would be folly to
ask this child to marry him. To say to her,
"My dear, am twenty six years older than
you, but I have been absurd enough to al
low myself to fall in love with you, and even
wish to commit the greater absurdity of ask
ing you to become my wife" How she
would open those lovely eyes upon him in
calm amazement, and smile with pity, perhaps
dishain, upon his unlooked.for plea! And
such confession on his part would mar all
the happiness of their present Intercourse,
and cast a cloud of embarrassment and re-
straint over it, which could probably never
be dispelled. For, Of course, the Colonel
said to himself, it was sheer nonsense to sup
pose, for an instant, tha. his feeling toward
her could ever be reciprocated. She might
pardon his weakness, but farther than this,
her kindness could not 60.


"She shall never know it" he said to him
self. ut would destroy her confidence in me,
and, perhaps, even lower me in her regard !;
and if I cannot win her love, I must, at least
preserve her esteem. She would consider me
an old fool indeed, if she knew that I enter
tanned such preposterous idea. So the best
thing I can do is to get rid of it as quickly
as possible"


But it was not so easy to get rid Of; and
instead of being driven away, by force Of the
Colonel's will, it stayed just where it was, and
not only stayed, but increased daily and hour
ly in strength. Little did Mary guess the
conflict that was gong on in her guardian's
heart. Outwardly he was the same as ever
frank and afFectionate, with perhaps an occa-
sional shade of seriousness in his manner that
was not habitual to it; but this she did not OBJ
serve. Only when he was alone-of an even
ing when she had gone to bed, and he had
but the fire for company he sit and
brood very gravely over this new phase into
which he had entered, and try and devise
some means by which to cure himself of bis
folly, as he called it, but in vain. Perhaps it
was not such folly, after all but he was not
sparing in his selfcondemnation.


His mind was diverted, after time, from
these thoughts-at least, partially Diverted
by other considerations of very weighty sort.
War was threatening the land, and the COL
onel, an ardent States s'-rights man, watched,
with intense interest, the approach of the cri-
sis which was to decide the fate of the con-
tending parties. He was ready, as soon as
occasion required, to rush into the fray. And
it soon became apparent that the services of
all patriots would be needed to check the
threatened invasion, and do battle for the
homes they loved.


This subject, which of course now began to
engross everybody's thoughts, was frequently
made the theme of conversation at Mossands,
as it was by every other 6reside in the land.
Mary, who cared nothing for politics, and
hated trouble of any sort, was very plaiptive
over it, and could not share the Colonel's en-.
thusiasm She thought fighting was dread
full. She hoped and prayed there would be
none of it where they were. my DEAR" said