Year: 1871

resolved to keep Mary with me till the
holidays were over and he left with the
promise to come down, if possible for
Christmas.


After a weeks rest Mary began to look
little more like herself Her voice was
as gentle as ever, and something Of the old
light came back to her eyes as we sat in
the long mornings and talked Of all that
had happened in the years gone by Mar
garet was very sunbeam in the house
fitting in and out, singing merry songs.
and tenderly devoted to her mother. Yet
sometimes a shade would steal over her
face; and once, at twilight, | found her
alone in the library, standing by the win
dow that looks toward Morley Lodge and
weeping. But with all her sweetness and
affection, she was a reticent girl, and
pleading a little foolish melancholy, she
urned away and went away into the gar
den.


Christmas dawned with its frost and hol-
" and blazing fires Margaret was en-
chanted with everything, and even Mary
was almost gay. John came down for a
few days, glad to spend his first English
festival in Thornly. He was full Of life
and energy and courage, and told Us the
affairs Of the firm would occupy him some
months longer in London-that Its busi-
ness must be closed, bat that ne hoped to
save at least a remnant Of his fathers for
tune


" And what are your plans beyond that
time - asked my husband.


." L have none at present he replied ;
"but business IS pleasure to me. and | have
no anxiety about the future


" Noble John AshIeigh, [ said to my
self, as [ regarded hir1 with a heart
and brain and hand ike yours, you may
well dismiss anxiety"


And now [ began to be sure Of what |
had at first pected-that he loved Mar
garet. His eyes kinded when she entered
the room; his voice softened when he ad-
dressed her. and the second morning Of
his stay, when, from a Slight indispost.on
she did not come down as early as usual,
he wandered restlessly about till she ap-
peared. He was six years her senior. but
they had met as children in India, and her
manner to him was that Of a sister to a
brother. Happy as ne seemed, however,
be would not stay beyond the time ap-
pointed; but asking permission to write to
Us, he went back to his work.


Sitting alone with Mary. the evening af-
ter his departure, | told her my belief OF
his affection for Margaret \ faint blush
rose to her checks. and ciasping my hand
she said with norton: julia, l fee that
| have not long to live, and If could
know MaIga would marry John
should die content. She told me that at
kissengen they had met Philip RaniOr1,
Of Morley Lodge. a fashionable young
man, Of insinuatng manners, who had
paid much attention to Margaret, and even
wished her to become engaged to him, with
expectation Of marriage. when be should
return to England " Margaret was such
a child she added and | was so en-
crossed with her father, that a result like
this never occurred to me and ere | knew 1t
he had won her heart. But [ have no
faith Ia the Rantords You remember how
his father fell "a love with every pretty
face he saw. 1t was two years before
Philips coming back; and | insisted that
there should be neither engagement nor
correspondence, but that the matter should
be left to the future to determine. They
parted with vows of unchanging attach
ment. Margaret cares for him but [ have
no doubt if the truth were known, he has
already fol gotten her.


did remember his father lie broke
the heart Of ha!f the girls in the county
and his marriage was no bar to his fancies
Now knew why Margaret stood weeping
at the window " God forbid" ! exclaimed
g that she should ever marry a Ranford ,.'
Mary then spoke more freely than she had
ever done before Of her own life; and
knew, though she did not say it. that
while she and her husband had always
lived pleasantly together, yet Richard Car
ringons affection was not the whole heart
ed trust which Charles Ashleigh wonld have
given to Mary Lowell.


After the holidays she established her
self in q small cottage near the rectory.
with a faithful woman, reared in the Car
rington family, As her sole servant. Her
health was feebc-but as spring came on
she went out a little, delighting to visit
every spot familiar to her in her girIhood
And Margaret, though cheerful and admir-
ell by all who saw her, yet stunned society,
and was seldom an hour away from her
mother We had expected John to visit
us at Faster But, instead, came letter,
saying that business had made him ac-
duainted with some Turkish officials in
London and that, owing, he supposed, to
his knowledge of Oriental languages and
customs (my husband said it was equal to
his tact and ability,) he had been offered
a position in the Sultans government at
Constantinople, with an excellent salary,
and had decided to accept,and that he hop
ed to arrange his affairs by midsummer 50
as to spend 4 week with US before leaving.


1t was at the end of August when he
came. He was to be my guest and, as
Just at sunset, he walked up the garden
path, | wished Margaret could have seen
him with my eyes. At dinner he told US
all about his prospects, and said he should
eventually receive something from his
fathers estate. Then he turned to talk of
Mrs. Darlington and her daughter; and
it was plain to see where his thoughts cen
tered. Through the week the weather was
fine. and most of the time we were alto
eether out OF doors, Mary seemed brighter
than she had done since her arrival. Mar
garet was as usual, lovely and Indifferent


The days few by. 1t was Sunday af-
ternoon, and John was 10 90 early the next
morning. When we left the church, he
gave Mary his arm, while Margaret walk
ed, silent, at her mother side and at the
cottage he entered with them. "He will
try his fate tonight" | thought.


Nv husband was called away that ev-
ening by the illness Of parishioner- 1t
was nine o'clock and | was sitting IN the
dusk by the open window, when l saw John
slowly coming up the path and went down
to meet him. He held oat his hand as