Year: 1876


he asked me to be his wife.


Only a month! only a month my
pulses seemed to beat; and as it hap
pened we were all busy upon q large
wedding order, and was stitching away
at the white satin skirt intended for the
bride.


tried so hard to bear it, but I could
not; the rush of feelings was too great.
Another month and he was to have
fetched me to be his wife, and L had not
had an answer to my last two fond and
loving letters.


AS said, / tried hard to bear it, but
/ could not, and sitting sob 1 hurried
out of the workroom to reach my attic,
throw myself upon my knees by the bed,
and burying my face in my hands 1
sobbed as if my heart would break.


For a terrible thought would come
now, fight against it as would" Jack
had grown tired of waiting, and has
married another"


l fought 80 hard with the disloyal
thought, but it would come, and I was
sobbing passionately, when I felt a soft
arm steal round my neck, tender cheek
laid to mine, and l found my poor tear
dewed face drawn down upon the bosom
of Mary Sanders, who had stolen out of
the workroom, and come up to try and
comfort me.


Pray, pray, don't fret, my darling, I"
she whispered. Madame will be so
crocs. Those wedding things must be in
by tonight, and they want you to help
try them on"


don't know how got through that
day and night, but believe did such
duties as were expected from me me-
chanically, or as if had been in dream,
and at night 1 lay wakeful and weary,
with aching eyes and heart, thinking of
that dreadful idea that was trying to force
itself upon me.


1 waited till the three years had ex-
pired, and then, with what anguish of
heart no words can tell, 1 wrote to Jack
again-my fourth letter-begging him,
imploring him, to answer me, if but to
tell me he was weary of his promise and
wished to be set free and then, making
a superhuman effort over myself, wait
ed, waited, month by month, for an an
swer, though l knew that it must be at
least six months before one could come.


had given up expecting one in the
interim, and 1 was too proud to
send to his relatives-distant ones, whom
1 had never seen, and who had probably
never heard of me. The thought had
taken root now and grown to a feeling
of certainty, but I waited for my on
swer.


Three months-six months-nine
months passed away, and hope was dead
within my heart. They said had grown
much older and more careworn. Ma
dame said worked too hard, and the
sharp business woman became quite
motherly in her attentions to me. But
would not take any change, for work
was like balm to me +; it blunted my
thoughts and, knowing that | was
daily growing pale and thin, L still
waited.


knew the girls used to whisper to-
gether about me and think me strange,
but no one knew my secret-not even
Madame, who had more than once
sought my confidence and 80 twelve
months passed away four years since
Jack had left me.


1t was not to day, but very nearly to
the time when he had parted from me,
and it was almost two years since L had
heard from him. was trying hard to
grow patient and contented with my lot,
for Nine. Granger had gradually taken
to me, and trusted me, making mo more
and more her right hand, when one
glorious spring morning, as 1 was COM
ing out of the breakfast-room to go up.
stairs to work, she called me into her
little snuggery, where she sat as rule
and attended to her customers letters,
for she had an extensive clientele, and
carried on business in a large private
mansion in Welbeck street.


"Grace, my DEAR" she said, taking me
in her arms and kissing me, it worries
me to see you look so i'll. Now, what do
you say to fortnight in the country9"


A fortnight in the country! and at her
busiest time, with the London season
coming on.


1 thought of that, and then, as ]
glanced round at the flowers and inhaled
their scents, the bright fields near Tenn
plemore Grange foated before my
dimming eyes, feeling of suffocation
came upon me, and the room seemed to
swing round. / believe that for the first
time in my life / should have tainted, sc
painful were the memories evoked by
her words, when sharp knock and ring
at the door echoed through the house,
following instantly upon the dull fall oi
letter and the sharp click OF the letter
box.


1t was like an electric shock to me,
and without a word darted into the
hall, painting with the excitement and
my hand at my throat to tear away the
sitting sensation.


But it was letter. 1 could see il
through the glass in the letter box, and
seized it with trembling hands, In
, spired, as it were, by some strange
power.


"Jack dear Jack at last !" gaspe6
as / turned it over and saw it was 6
strange, blue, official-looking letter, for
mally directed to me.


T Even that did not surprise me. 1t wa'
from Jack, knew, and L tore open the
blue envelope.


2 Yes, knew it The inner envelope
, was covered with Australian post-marks
. and, ignorant as 1 might be with it
contents, was raising it to my lips 3,
= !, cover il with passionate kisses when
/ saw it was open.


| I'M Al.