Year: 1867

was new to me. Up to this time Ind been
thinking Of myself, now | was reminded that
was giving him pain.


lie was silent two or three minutes, looking
away into the distance. lie had taken his
hand from my shoulder.


swell, Hester,p said he presently, gravely,
not unkindly ahl as It seemed 10 me
very coldly- --"you have simply 10 choose be,
tween your sister and myself. You are best
able to judge of your sisters claims upon you
Of my own, will only say that love you
never thought or cared much about women
till saw you, so am not likely to change
my liking or to forget it; and if you had mar
ried me-bu' | will not try 10 plead my own
cause against your sisters. 1t is for. you 10
decide and me to abide by your decision


looked desperately up to the smiling blue
heavens, at the calm stream flowing on its
tranquil path to the sea, at all the SUM- -bask-
ing peace around me- and pray ed with pra yer
SO passionate that it seemed like q loud de-
mand, that might not be forced into Staying
with my own hands the young happiness of
my life, 81 cannot and. will not do it said
in my heart; yet knowing at Tic same time
that must, and could.


Then Mark spoke again:


"Would you like little time to consider
the matter? need not leave the Hollies I'LL
tomorrow evening or, perhaps. the next
day


"No," answered with or withou, my own
will never knew. Il know wha, mus, do
l cannot leave Milly'


''-,nd Milly cannot go. That decides it
then. Well. have nothing to say; am the
last man in the world 10 try and persuade any
one against their Judgment


he rose deliberately, but did no. 20, for !
sat STILL


care You going homer he asked, after &
minute Hester, don, look SO sad you are
feeling for nlc-dont do that. should like
to think Of you when am over the seas as
happy as would have tried TO have made
you; think of me sometimes as u friend,
doa expect you to forget me. Hester Good
bye"


His hand, as he held it oui. shock ever SC
lightly, but it held mine in firm pressure for
an instant. Then lie let it drop, stopped and
picked up his gun, wh:stled his dogs arotinl
him, and strobe away again along the sea
wall, without once turning to look back


slilly and were both orphans Our fathe,
and mother had both died in India ana We
were sent home 10 the care of our sole relative
my fathers sister. an elderly maiden lady
living in lady-like poverty at dull li,sle
village at Kent. Aunt Dolly died when VAS
seventeen and Mi!ly twelve, leaving TO us the
little cottage that had been her home AMI ours
with everything it contained no very valu-
able bequest but all the poor soul had to leave
and here Nilly and mot hciresscs, no. bu
not destitute neither--continued to live with
the dear old seryaa. who had been our aunt
faithful companion and oar Kind, affec,ionate
nurse ever since. fa,herlcss and motlerless
VIC had been sent to England.


There were not many people to visit at Hill.





the llollies comprised them. think Nc wee
The most intimate At the Hollies, for the chill
dren there were Mity's cotcmporarics, and
her sworn admirers and friends. l Fl st saw
Mark Sutherland at the Nullies; he was Mr.
Suthellandx cousin, and heard Of him Otter
before saw him. He had led wild, alven.
turous Kind of life, wandering all over til,
world for his simple pleasure, ! suppose
since neyor' ..card that he ever had any 9th
er object in doing SO. had formed my idea
Of him; to be sure the reality WIS 1t in the
least like it. No, quite otherwise, and yet
after the first Ave minutes, would not have
changed the real man for the ideal for worlds


Do not suppose that speculated much VI on
Marks character in those days; such as he
was, loved him, dea,ly loved him--ah he
would never know how dearly, for hal no,
gwen him up?


AS one in dream l went home; as Que in
a dream crawlcd slowly up the steep wind
ing lawn to our cottage; saw Milly on the
garden gate watching tor me; come flying out
in the lawn to meet me, all her golden hair
streaming straight out behind her heard her
call me, and sco!d me f r being SO late; my
own voice answered. saw and heard all the
familiar sights and sounds Of every day life
as we do sometimes in dreams, all ma ie strange
and perplexing by come dreadful sense OF
pain and trouble.


...Hct,' said Milly as We sat at tea, ayourc
not eating anything; you look pale and glum;
you We sat out in those horrible marshes until
the sun has made you sick. shall not allow
YOU to 60 out again, mind that"


II pleased Milly to play the elder sister, and
was always content that the little one should
do what pleased her. She was my darling.
the one thing that my solitary life gave me to
love till saw Mark had set my idol long
long ago, but it cost me dear. | remember
that the child was in more than usually high
spirits on that evening that she teased me
10 talk to her, sing to her, and finally iew up
in a childish fit Of anger because l could do
neither one nor the other. At any other time
| should have gone after her, coaxed and ca
resscd her into good temper; but now, with
a feeling Of relief that she was gone, sat at
the window sta ring out into the dark, scented
night, and counted tie cost Of the sacrihce.--
Long long I sat there, long after the moon