Year: 1872

young man to visit him at his country
house.


And thus it happened that when Sum-
mer came Roland Archworth came up
to LanaTk's pleasant home. He was
young man of five and twenty years,
and to use the expression of one who
knew him well, "every inch a man."
He had inherited fortune from his
father, and was now a partner in the
house which his father had founded
There was no speculation in the bnsi-
ness which he followed. With a bank
ing capital fully equal to the greatest
possible emergency, the house pursued
legitimate course, and its wealth was
constantly and surely increasing.


Is it wonder that Mrs. Lanark's
heart futtered when the prospect dawn
ed upon her that the young banker
might possibly seek one of her daueh-
ters for wife She cared not whether
he choose Isabel or Bertha. They were
both accomplished, and either would
make worthy mate for him.


And we 10 not do the Judge injustice
when we say that even he allowed him
self to hope that the son of his class
mate might find it in his heart to love
one of the girls. He had studied the
young mans chart cter well, and he be-
lieved it to be one of the purest and best.


And Isabel and Bertha. Of course
there was rivalry between them, but
they agreed they would abide the issue.
Ii Isabel were selected to preside over
the home of the millionaire, Bertha
would not complain, and should Bertha
prove the fortunate one, Isabel was pre-
pared to yield.


One thing happened very unfortu-
nately. On the yer, day of Archworth' s
arrival the cook had been taken sick
What was to be done


:" Never mind" said Kate with q
smile, 81 will take the reins until the
cook gets WELL


But for mercy's sake" imrlored
Isabel, don't let Mr. Archworth know
it He belongs to sphere which would
be shocked by such gross impropriety,
He would look upon us as belonging to
the cd,adille"


But there was no present help for it,
and Kate went into the kitchen and
took command of the forces in that
quarter.


"Will you have some of this cake,
Mr.. Archworth," asked Mrs Lanark,
lifting the silver basket of frosted nice
ties.


"No," replied the visitor, with a
smile. If you will let me exercise nv
own whim you will please me. This
plain bread is luxury which 1 do not
often meet. 1t takes me back to my
boyhood's days. have not eaten such
since 1 eat the bread which my own
mother made. If ever keep house for
myself I think shall ask you to send
me your cook"


For the life of them they could not
help the betrayal of emotion. Poor
Kate, who sat exactly opposite the
speaker, blushed until it seemed as
though all the blood in her body were
running into her face-while Isabel and
Bertha trembled as they would have
trembeled had they found themselves
unexpectedly upon the verge of a fright
full precipice. The Judge laughed out
right.


"You get our cook into your house,
and you'll find you've caught tartar,
my boy" said the Judge. And then to
turn the subject, he added quickly


II remember yonr mother very we'll,
Roland. and have eaten her bread"


And thus the subject softened down
into the memory of other days.


Touching Roland's association with
Lanark's daughters, he seemed to enjoy
the society of them all. If he seemed
more eager to talk with one than the
other, it was with Kate--not, perhaps,
| because he had found her more attrac-
tive. but because she kept herself hid
den away from him SO much. During
the brief interviews which had been per-
mitted him, he had found her not only
accomplished, but he had detected an
undercurrent of plain common sense,
which had not appeared in the others.
And, again, when be had been speaking
of his mother. he had noticed Rates
eyes grew moist with sympathetic light,
while her sisters had only smiled in
their sweet, pleasant way. He fancied
that though the gathering moisture of
those deep blue eyes he had looked
down into warm and tender heart-a
heart that was both true and reliable


One bright morning Roland Arch
worth rose with the sun and walked out
into the garden. By and by he came
round by the porch, and entered the
kitchen to ask for drink of milk, for
he had seen the gardener just bringing
in brimming pail from the stable.


He went in and saw Kate Lanark at
the moulding board. her white arms