Year: 1878

Great purple shades swept across
the hay fields. The distant landscape
was becoming indistinct, and the
moon was slowly rising in the heav-
ems. After awhile the twilight deep
ened into as much OF darkness as
there would be in the summer night,
and silence fell upon the earth.
Then girl stole noiselessly across a
small garden, and stood beside gate
that led into the adjoining church
yard. A yew tree spread its branch
es above her but the silver tints
that were slauting down upon the
gravestones, and that were bringing
out the delicate lines Of the old
church-spires. touched also her white
face, making it whittier than usual.
She did not start as tail figure ap-
preached from the further side of the
churchyard She bad evidently
been expecting some one and when
she heard the words:


you are out late, Miss Jervis,"
she quietly answered


Il was waiting for you. | wanted
to say Goodbye ? to you before you
wen. away"


Il thought you had done that al
ready" replied the young man with
some bitterness.


Not quite" returned the girl,
wearilY. you were too angry for
me to say it as | wished"


clad | not q right to be so ?" be
asked. Ever since | have been at
Sheford you have been deceiving
me / believed you to be 10 earnest
as | was myself and now" he
paused.


"ALd now ?" Her voice had
sharp ring in it, as she repeated his
words, as though she would give de.
nal to what be had said but her
face looked like stone, in the moon
light-white and immoyable-and
she continued II did not under
stand that you could really be in
earnest; otherwise | might have told
you before what | have told you to-
day.


"You did not believe 10 me You
locke upon me as heartless-as a
deceiver You do not believe me
now


II do.


What do you believer" be asked,
impetQously. Nothing good, or
you would not have given me the an
swer YOU have"


Everything good, except the
knowing what is good for yourself
want you now to say Goodbye =
to me without anger in your heart.
The day will come when you will,
perhaps, bless me for what | have
had courage to do today" Aud he
held out her hand.


The young man hesitated


Is there no hope -


"None :"


Her voice rang low aud clear
through the summer air. Again be
hesitated then. suddenly taking
both her hands in bis, he bent down
and kissed her for the first time. She
gave faint cry, and discngsged her
self.


I'VE part in peace" With these
words she turned and aed-not look
ing back. or perhaps she might have
repented her decision Once in the
house, she sat down in the empty
sittlngroom, made light as day by
the moonbeams The old dog rose
as she came iD, and when she threw
herself into a chair be laid his head
in her lap There came q sound of
clattering plates in the kitchen, on
the opposite side Of the passage, and
her mothers voice sounded sharply,
giving her directions about supper.
Presently she entered


"Where have you been, Ally ?
How ill you look And you're all
shiyeriDg. Come into the kitchen,
child. Annie's gone off to bed, and
there's bit ul FIRE in the CRATE.
1t might be winter instead of midsum-
mer, to feel your hands"


Alice rose mechanically. She
walked dresmily into tie kitchen,
where her mother drew a chair to
the fire for her Presently a ruddy,
good-humored looking youth entered,
saying:


"Let me have my supper here,
mother The FIRE looks pleasant,
though it is summer time.n


When she went to her own ROOM,
instead of undressing, she opened
the window and gazcd out toward
the yew tree under which she had
parted with Mr.. Scrope and then
suddenly untwisting her long hair,
she turned to the looking glass, not
with any feeling of vanity, but in
order to ind out what had attracted
him


1t was more than handsome face
that answered back her gaze, one
which showed an amount of earnest
ness and intelligence not often met
with. Of this she was no judge her.
self, neither of the continual change
of expression which Mr.. Scrope had
begun by curiously observing, and
ended by being thorougly interested in
He was passing the long vacation at
Sbelford, reading aud fishing He
bad made the acquaintance Of Will
lam Jervis on the banks of the river,
and through-whom it was conde-
scension on the part of Mr.. Scrope to
notice-of Alice herself


Alice, perhaps, understood the
footing on which they stood better