Year: 1870

sixteenth year, he attempted to run away
he was caught and brought back, and sent
to the city to work his way up, his mother
fondly hoped, to honor and wealth in mer-
camille house. But news of his reckless
ness and ill-conduct came continually, un-
til, at last, three years from the time he
left home, the blow came that broke his
mothers heart. He had been concerned in
an extensive bank robbery and sentenced
to long term of imprisonment, and had
committed suicide to escape it.
Poor Mrs. Hanson died in three months
afterwards, and Phebe was left to Aunt
James care and they had lived together
ever since, in that little gray stone house
by the sea. And Aunt Jane, remembering
her nephew's fate, had an almost morbid
dread of crossing Phebe in anything if it
had not been for that it is very unlikely that
Gilbert Drew would have been seated so
costly at their tea-table, with Aunt James
cherished strawberry preserves put on for
his express benefit. For Aunt Jane was
ambitious, and that she was not to see
Phebe Mrs. Gerald Bayne was the great dis
appointment of her life.


But not the lightness of Aunt James bis.
cult, nor the sweetness of her preserves,
nor even Phebe's society, was able to dis
pei the cloud that still fingered on Gilbert's
brow. He had perfect faith in Phebe, he
said to himself over and over again, but
still it was not pleasant sight that he had
witnessed. And Phebe seemed SO strange
ly nervous and excited, so unlike herself :;
she talked perfectly at random, and even
when he reminded her that in just three
weeks the Lapwing would be ready for sea,
she seemed scarcely to hear him, but was
listening intently as if for footstep on the
gravel walk, and she started and grew pale
at every slight sound And when Gilbert
arose to take his leave, at least an hour ear
lier than his wont, she did not ask him to
stay, but seemed rather relieved at his 60
ing. Yet she stood in the door and watch
ed him out of sight, with wistful, anxious
look on her face.


"Im going to bed" said Aunt Jane,
"and you had better 60, too. What is the
matter between you and Gilbert. Haynt
had falling out, have you?"


"No, no indeed nothing is the matter"
said Phebe, family. "Dont wait for me,
Aunt Jane. I am not going to bed quite
yet"


Aunt Jane was quite sure that everything
was not right, but she was too wise to say
anything; she went her way up stairs, and
left Phebe sitting alone on the door-stone.
The village clock struck nine just as the
echo of her footsteps died away, and Phebc
rose, with great sigh of relief wrapped
herself in her cloak and drew the hood over
her head, ran lightly down the road climb
ed the stone wall and crossed the pasture,
then sped lightly over the rocks to the sea-
shore.


IL was almost as light as day, and the
moon made a glittering wake upon the sea
in which two or three ships rested, with
cleaning sails, like great, white, lowering
birds.


"A man started up from one of the rocks
at the sound of her footsteps-Captain
Matthews.


81 am late, know Joe, but I couldn't
get away before and now mustn't stay
long, for Aunt Jane may call me, and she
would be frightened to death to find l was
not in the house."


They sat down together on rock, his
arm around her waist her eyes looking up
into his. All if Gilbert Drew could have
seen her then his face would have worn a
darker cloud than it did now. He was a
fool to have faith in her after what he had
seen, you think Well, he thought so
himself afterwards. Only once in their
long talk-for Phebe forgot that she ought
not to stay-did they mention his name.


"You are going to marry Gilbert Drew ?''
the young man said.


Yes" said Phebe, simply.


"Not if he knew, 1 fancy, Phebe r'-
And the mans tone was hard and bitter.
81 think sometimes that he must have