Year: 1875

'sbumptious" valentine. which had


no, crossed her mind before for long


time.


He looked at her with a smile in


his eyes. but with a face that pre-


served all its respectful gravity. He


took red leather case out of his


pocket. and from the ease he took the


very old valentine, which Nelly re


membered so well. Then he produced


the brief note she had written that


afternoons: and still there was light


enough left in the day to see them by,
as he held them side By side.
/ Your hand has matured somewhat
since this valentine was written. he
remarked quietly, but some of these
letters | should know anywhere. No
one could deceive me-"


Il did not suppose you had kept


that foolish thing, Nelly said, with a
| pitiful little quiver in her voice, as if
/ she were just on the point of bursting
/ into tears Il am SO ashamed"
| DIR. Jack looked at ner moment,
as she stood there in the waning light,
lovely. graceful girl from whom any
man might be proud to win even a
passing interest. So this was the wo-
man, the thought of whom he carried
III HIS hcdI NtdlS Ii At Idd ever
done any good thing, he was paid for
it in the satisfaction OF that hour.


Are you sorry" he asked slowly,
that you have helped one man to be
his best self? Those words of yours
were to me like the voice of my in
most soul Since then this paper has
never left me, nor have ever / ceased
to strive to be worthy of the esteem of
my unknown valentine. If ever |
have been generous instead of selfish,
brave instead of eowardly, strong in
stead of weak, it has been because l
have remembered the words written
here. and meant to live in their spirit.
Are you sorry for that? ? or do you
grudge me the dear pleasure of thank
ing you z


No, I'm not sorry nor do | grudee
you anything; but it was girl s freak,
and | am not worthy of so much
praise and honor"


1T was a good girls good inten-
ton" he said almost solemnly Let
US be thankful that it succeeded


Nelly went back to the bedside of
the old woman with f1uttering heart
How strange it seemed to think this
sick woman was old enough to have
outlived all anxieties except those
about her pains and her supper. Had
not she been young once? and had no
one ever looked at her as DR.. Jack
looked ?


The next morning he came again.
His medicine, nights sleep, Nettys
care-something seemed to have given
the poor, old patient a fresh lease of
life. There was no need that Nelly
should stay with her any more; but
she went to see her daily, and it was
curious how often DIR. Jacks visits
happened at the same time.


One night the doctor had left his
horse at home, and he and Nelly
walked away together. Theyz yzaa the
soft South wind. and even the old
women; for Nelly, woman-Hke, was
struggling desperately to keep DR.
Jack from saying what she desperate
ly wanted to hear. But, at last, it
came-a half-blunt, half-awakened
speech, yet with DIR. Jacks honest
heart in it


I've lived all these years just to
earn your esteem, and now | fnd |
don care thing about that unless
can also win your love"


/ think Nellys answer must have
satisfied him, for she is Mrs. Jack
Green now; and that Valentine-worn
and old, but choieely framed-always
hangs over the doctor study table.