Year: 1879

yours. ready to do for you. to suffer
for you, to die for youl'





"Why does not Earl come ~ qaes-
toned the invalid. IL want to see
him miss him Write, Irene, aud
tell him be must call this evening TO
see U.s."


She wrote in obedience


Mamma asks for you. She
knows nothing. If you will drop in
occasionally 10 see her | shall be
glad"


II cost her pride struggle to send
even this; but was it possible il also
brought a thrill Of something like
pleasure that ste should meet him
once more? =?


The week had seemed strangely
long without him. Why had she
thus answered him. OF course the
thing be asked was impossible but
sb, how cruelty she bad spurned him !.


Had he forgotten itg She expected
some trace OF sorrow on the hand
some brow; but when he entered in
obedience to her summons, the frank
smile lit up bis face, as devoting him
self to the invalid, he spoke to her
only when courtesy required.


"Men easily forget" she thonght,
and with the thought she gave
sigh.


The winter wore 10 an end, and
slowly the invalid grew weaker and
more weak The shock had been
greater than her nervous system
could bear, and she sank under it
day by day, until the exertion OF
moving from her bed to her couch
became too great, when, for the FIRST
time the realization burst upon ber
daughter that she was sO0n to be lefs
desolate indeed.


Earl, during these months, came
and went as ot old bat sometimes
Irene asked herself if his words to
her bad not been dream.


Not once did his eyes rest on her
with the old look-not once did be
hold for single moment the little fin.
gers within his own and g sense of
empty disappointment, none the less
bitter because unacknowledged,
brought to the proud young eyes
many an unshed tear But the Bit
terer sorrow was 10 store, as the in
vilid's rest approached more and
more near, until the angel Of death
stopped and gathered her to bis
breast. Earl was there at the last,
and as she lay 50 quietly on her pill
lows-they thought her spirit had
hown-she snddenly r0used, and laid
her daughters hand 10 bis


Take her :" she sai,'. II give her
to youw Then her ey ,s closed for
ever.


"Do not mind it; she mean only
as brother, Irene" De : aid, ! CON-
fort, days after. to the epiu.s girl.
and Irene wondered why she could
not as such accept Il


So tie weary days merged into
weeks, the weeks into months, and
the proud young spirit learned iis
own bitterness She saw Earl rare.
ly nowhere was no longer the ia-
valid's impatient demand upon his
time Some of the old friends bad
come forward in this second hour Of
suffering; but through it all she
missed him, and the thought that be
had learned forgetfulness brought
her no comfort, She was thinking of
him one evening when be entered
the house


IL am going away. Miss Irene"
be said. "Will you bid me God
speed ?"


The I'd pride struggled for mas-
terry against the choking in the sleu-
der throat, bat the words she strove
to utter refused 70 come. II have
been studying law duriag these years
Of hard work, and am now able to
TO wait for the practice | hope will
come. You will think OF me some
times, Irene; and if in trouble re-
the words / once said; that
/ stand ready to act the part Of a
friend. Is even this asking too mueh?"
be added, as her silence continued.


Had be then forgotten all his
words-the love be had said was
hers forever-or did bis pale ghost
lie buried? But she must speak she
must not let him know.


"Good-by," she faltered; then
spite of herself the words she had
thought locked in her besrt burst
from her. Earl, DO not go; / can
not bear itl1


Irene !" where had bis icy indif-
ference fed now? His face was pale;
his voice trembled in its struggle for
calmness What matters it TO
you2"


Everything - she exclaimed, as
her pride lay with folded wings at
her feet "Or if you must go, take
ne with you? ?"


Irene, do you know what your
words mean-that I can take you
only as my wife My darling, is
this true 2'


But in answer she sprang into bis
arms, dimly realizing that the color
mantling her cheeks was the sbhorred
red hsg by which she had announced
herself to the highest bidder, but
Earl, holding her close to his heart,
will yield bis prize nevermore