Year: 1879

Your cousin Helen Is coming neXi


week." Robert Braith's mother said


when he came in from his work and sal


down to read for few minutes. "There's
her letter on the window sill If you'd
like to read it."


He took up the letter and read il


through slowly. One passage he read


yer twice, before he laid it down.


Il never spent a pleasanter summer in


my life than the one 1 spent with you.


And if Robert is the same dear old fellow


that he was then shall enjoy this one
quite as much, for you know Rob and I


were the best of friends, and I.have seen


no one since that liked half so well.
! He sat there in the door, with the let
/ ter in his hands, and he looked away
across the meadow where the grass was
ICTinkling in the wind like a sea Of emer-


aid, and thought about that summeT
gone by, and the summer evening. In
| that vanished one he had dreamed such


sweet and beautiful dream, and its


memory had never left him. But he


had hidden it in his own heart, and no


one had ever guessed what It was. Nov


she was coming back, and the old dream
must be lived over again, or crushed
down and kept out of sight, If it so be
that his will was powerful enough TO do
that. But he doubted his own strength.
There had been times, in the dead sum
mer, when It seemed as if his heart must
speak out and be heard. But his pride
had kept him silent. Here was he, q
farmer; and she was the child of
wealthy parents, city born and bred, and
be argued that he had no right to say
r-r-rF1,Sr,o. e, hovs Of 1ovr1 hooorrGo III aTr-
stations in life were 50 different and 50
far apart. If she had been a farmers
daughter, or the child of poor parents, or
he had been a rich mans son, with Cul-
ture and education equal to her own,
then! But always the 'if" in the way
came up to stare him in the face, and so
he crushed back the words he had al
most said so many times, and Helen
Hunt had never discovered his secret, he
felt sure.


He could not help feeling thrill Of
keen pleasure at knowing she was COM
ing back but, at the same time, he was
sorTY. It would only make It harder for
aim after she was gone. He knew that
her voice would hold the old dangerous
ly-sWeet fascination in it, and herleyes
would only make him feel more .keenly
what he longed to claim for his own, and
what was out Of his reach. But-and
of that same recklessness
which comes TO all of us at times came to
him she was coming, and he could not
help that, and he would let the future
decide its own affairs. He would drift
and dream, even if the waking up at the
end of it was bitter with loss and life
ines regret.


The next week brought Helen Hunt.
Robert drove down to the depot after
her. She was standing on the platform,
with her face turned another way, when
he drove up. But it did not need the
sight of her face to tell him that she was
here. He would have known that tall
and graceful figure anywhere.


Il am glad to see you back" he said,
coming up beside her. His voice was
not quite steady. He had tried to make
himself cool and selfcontrolled, but the
presence of the woman he loved un-
manned him a little.


"Robertp' she cried, turning quickly
ut the sound of his voice, with a glad,
eager light flushing up into her beautiful |
eyes. How they thrilled him! She
held out her hand, and there was no |
the genuineness of her vel |
come. It spoke in words, and made |
Itself felt in her face.


81 hardly expected to see you back |
here" he said, feeling that she would |
expect him to say something, and know !
ng nothing else to say. Just then words |
allied to come readily at his command. !


81 have been looking forward to this
or months" she said. II was so happy
here that I have been longing to come
pack ever since I went away. I hope
his summer will be as pleasant as that
me was"


'I hope it win, for yoursake," /" he said,
md his face had a grave, panied look in
which her keen eyes detected at once.


what is the matter with you, Rob
1T p she said, putting her hand on mis-.
nm. ''YOu look as if something troubled
on. Ny coming hasnothing to do with
J, has itF


'How should it havep he said, with


little forced laugh. "I haven't felt
mite well for a few days, that's all. But
II come around right by-and-by. Don't
ny anything to mother about it-she
oesn't know, and there's no use in her
-orrYing over me. She couldn't help