Year: 1870

Aunt Pen shook with terror. She took it
for granted that her niece was losing her
senses, but hoping the arrangement was only
temporary, she repeated her promise in a
quivering voice, and asked Dilly to share
her bed-an offer that was accepted. Miss
Penelope was fully resolved to keep {. dill
gent watch all night; but before she had the
least idea of doing such thing, she drop
ped sound asleep, and when she awoke in the
morning, found that she alone occupied the
bed Before she had time to rise billy en-
tered the room, calm and serene, though a
certain anxiety lurked in her eyes. Aunt
the subject Of the mantelpiece, trusting that
Dnly had been dreaming; but she was at
once reminded of her promise, and saw she
was to be strictly held to it. In vain did she
question Dilly as to her reason. At last Miss
Pen said:


''Dilly, my dear, it is out of the question
to pull down the wall in that manner with
out saying why. What do you suppose that
Susan and everybody else would think 2?


Miss Dilly surveyed her aunt thoughtfully.
''That is very true" she replied, and left the
room.


While Miss Penelope was still congratu-
lating herself upon her success, Dilly re-
turned.


''It is all right now, Aunt Pen," she said
81 have slipped your great grandfather S
silver watch down the crack, and that is rea-
son enough


For once in her life, Aunt Pen was indg-
nant.


"Amelia" she cried, show dare you do
such a thing as that?"


Dilly threw her arms around her aunt's
neck and pressed her soft cheek to hers
"Dear Aunty Pen,n she murmured in caress-
ing tones, ''you know you saidyou must have
a reason, and you promised me the mantle
piece should be taken down; you wouldn't
wish to break your promise to your own lit
tie Miss Dilly who loves you SOP"


Miss Penelope endeavored to be firm and
remain indignant, for the insult to the treas
ured heir loom was not to be patiently sub
mitted to; but it was of no use, and she fl
nally yielded, rs she always did.


Miss Amelia coolly informed Susan that
she had dropped the Watch down the craoh
and although Susan listened with upright
hands and eyes, she declared she was not
the least astonished; Miss Dilly would do
mischief she supposed, to the end of her
days.


Miss Dilly had taken the precaution
to drop in a few advertisements; so
when the chimney piece was taken down,





anxiously examining the watch, she secured
the precious letter among the advertisements,
and no one noticed it, When alone in her
room she carefully fastened the door, and
then sat breathlessly gazing at the important
document for several moments before daring
to open it. But when she did, and read in it
how deeply Stephen loved her; how she was
the only woman in the world to him, her
heart stood still tor very rapture; she was
conscious of but one thought and that filled
her to the exclusion of all others. Stephen
loved her!


After a time she read the letter more atten-
lively, for at first the words swan in Il gold
en- light, very beautiful but very beWilderng
and then she found that he requested her, il
her answer was unfavorable, not to speak or
write to linn upon the subject, words would
he said be uncomfortable; if she could not ac-
cept his love let him know it by utter silence,
and in silence he would endeavor to bear it.
Then she saw how he must have misunder-
stood her testing words that night, and her
heart sank down from its weight Of Joy when
she reflected with what contempt he must
have looked upon her when he Imagined that
she made a mockery of his love, and intended
telling the Cuban of it as u matter of amuse-
ment.


This thought was more than she could bear
his love, perhaps, had passed from her for
ever, but his respect she would not lose; he
should know that she was no dishonorable
tlirt; he should give her 4 place in his es-
TEEN if not in his affections. She snatchcd
up pen and paper, and dashed off a few hasty
lines, telling him how the letter was lost, and
that it had just been discovered by the taking
down of the chimney piece; that when 1t fel
in the crack she supposed it was from a
. fr;opH IN +l,oe oe,,5; Of a
and that her idle words applied to that She
never mentioned love, but told him she coult
not bear to forfeit the esteem Of so dear
friend. Then, trembling with excitement
she hurried to the village and mailed her
letter; after that she sought a secret nool
deep in the woods, to which she sometime;
resorted and laying on the soft crispy
leaves, wept as though her heart woulo
break


Doubts seized her-had she done some
thing bold and unwomanly? She could no
tell; all was in q maze; and finally sick q
heart, and in body too, from lengthene,
weeping, she dragged herself home, and was
in bed two days; during which time Mis-
Penelope, Susan and Jenny, stole up ant
down stairs and about the house like fright
ened mice, and in great state of anxiety, Mis-:
Penelope was firmly convinced that Dilly wa
gong into BRAIN fever, and that the pulling
down Of the chimney piece was the frs
symptoms Of it. Of course she went with al
speed for the doctor, who indignantly inform
ed the anxious aunt that he considered it
rather an attack of irritability than anythin
else; Dilly having received him very ungr;e-
ciously, fatty telling him that she would no
swallow one atom of his nasty poisonous dos
es. Being Of a positive nature, she did not
and in a few days emerged from her room
looking much as usual, though shade pal
er.


Suspense is hard to bear, and so Dilly
found it; but she also made another discov
cry, and that was that she loved Stepher
more and more each day, and that this love
had struck its roots so deeply in her heart
that poor coquetry had withercd for wan
of room and moisture.


Stephen had asked for silence in case Dilly
had no love to give him; but when, in answer
to her letter he arrived, determined to make
one more effort, he was not only satisfied with
his Dilly's silence, but thought it more than
speaking q thousand words. For when he
stood before her, and she started up, shy
trembling, pale, he saw in her swiftly failing
glance the look his heart thirsted for, and
when he opened his longing arms, Dilly an
swered him by simply nesting inthenl and
holding her face upon his faithful breast
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