Year: 1877

Joy shone in the eyes of each at meeting,
but that quick repartee and light badinage
which they had used Of old had been drop
ped. t.Fs...


Music was the one thing Of which they
could speak without fear. Despard could
talk of his Byzantine poets, and the chants
of the Eastern Church, without being in
danger Of reawakening painful memories.
The piano stood close by, and always af-
forded q convenient mode of distracting
attention when it became too absorbed in
one another.


For Mrs. Thornton did not repel him;
she did not resent his longing; she did not
seem forgetful Of what he so we'll remem-
bered. How was it with her who had
given her hand to another?


"What she felt the while


Dare he think ?"


Yet there were times when he thought
it possible that she might feel as he did.
The thought brought joy, but it also brought
fear. For, if the struggle against this feel
ing needed all the strength Of this nature,
what must it cost her? If she had such a
struggle as he, how could she endure it?
Then, as he considered this, he thought to
himself that he would rather she would not
love him than love him at such cost. He
was willing to sacrifice his own heart.
He wished only to adore her, and was con-
tent she should receive, and permit, and ac-
cept his alteration, herself unmoved-a
passionless divinity. e.sa.


In their intercourse it was strange
how frequently there were long
pauses Of perfect silence, during
which neither spoke word. Sometimes
each sat looking at the floor: sometimes
they looked at one another, as though they
could read each others thoughts, and by
the mere gaze of their learnest eyes could
hold ample spiritual communion.


On one such occasion they stood by the
window looking out upon the lawn, but
seeing nothing in that abstracted gaze.
Despard stoad facing her, clese to her.
Her hand was hanging by her side. lie
stopped and took that little slender hand
in his. Al he did so he trempled from
head to foot. As he did so faint flush
passed over her face. Her head fell for
ward. Despard held her hand and she did
notvithdraw it. Despard drew her slightly
toward him. She looked up into his face
with large, eloquent eyes, sad beyond all
Description, yet speaking things which
Entitled his soul. He locked down upon
her with eyes that told her all that was in
his heart. She turned her head away. =,


Despard clung 10 her hand as though
that hand we're his life, his hope, his joy
as though that alone could save him from
some abyss of despair into which he wa
falling. His lips moved. In vain: NJ
audible sound broke that intense stiffness
| in which the beating and thorbbing Q
those two forlorn hearts could be heard
His lips moved, but all sounds died ava!
upon them. !,
silence.


"Teresa "


1t was a STANCE tone, tone Of longiin'
unutterable, tone like that which dylnl
man might use in calling before him on
most dear. And all the pent-up feeling
of wears rushed forth in concentrated energ.
and was borne to her ears in the sound o
that one word. She looked up with tn
same glance as before.


"Little playmate" said he, in a tone o
infinite sweetness, shave you ever forgotten
the old days? Do you remember whel
YOU and I last stood hand in hand p


[To BE CONTINUED.