Year: 1871

"Thereis nothing to tell" said Grace, /
part shy, part sullen. i


"No! Then you must let me read
biz letter, that I may judge for my
self" ~


"No, no p cried Grace vehemently.
II won't let you read tho letter, Mr.
Magnus. 1t is too bad of you to ask ;
it is to cruel, too horrible Papa would
not have done such thing, and you
shall not read itw On which, she
thrust it into her pocket, aud crushed
it rebelliously in her hand in the
depths for, indeed, it seemed to her
at this moment, trembling with love
and virgin shame together, that it would
have been worse than sacrilege to show
tit would have been gross, improper,
treacherous, every thing most vile and
terrible.


William Magnus was not a patient
man. There had been a time when,
kind and brave as he was, and frail as
was his opponent, he would have taken
from her by force what she refused now
to bis request but change had some
how come over him of late, and, with
out another word, but with curious
pallor on his bronzed face, he rose from
his seat and loft the room, leaving Grace
so far the conqueror ; yet leaving her
more unhappy than if she had yielded,
as perhaps she ought to have done,
and had given him the confidence he
had claimed. And yet how could she
show Addy's letter? You might as
we'll have asked her to lay bare her
heart as it beat in her bosom. She
was unhappy because Of her disobedi-
ence, truly, and yet she did not feel as
if she ought to have been more tract
able. Addy and her guardian; love
and duty fidelity and obedience. Oh,
why is not the path made palmer for
tender souls who would faiu do right
to every one all round, yet who, if they
are loyal to one, must needs fail the
other!


"Grace, I am surprised at you," said
Aunt Maria, with vague dlspleasare !;
and she too got up and went away, not
caring 10 venture on question which
she was dimly conscious had depth be-
yond her sounding.


So Grace sat down and cried. feeling
as if her fairy palace had suddenly
melted away, aud had left her standing
in the midst Of ruins. And yet had
not Addy said he loved her ? and was
she not bldden to wait? And wait she
would, though she had to wait in sor-
row and tribulation, and With only
ruins for her souls habitation for the
rest of her lite. Meanwhile Will Mag
nus wandered about the garden, per-
picked, disappointed, angry, and most
miserable. Yes, most miserable. It
seemed to him that no one in this wide
world Of suffering was so wretched as
he was at this moment. He had known
full we'll the truth of his own heart,
but he had resolutely shut his eyes to
tho state OF his feelings and the hostile
chances of the future and now he had
to pay for his blindness. Yet she was
such child He could not have acted
differently. How could he, a man Of
forty with the silver beginning to spread
over his gold, how could he make love
to child not yet seventeen, and his
own life, better than his past-than his
diguity-if not better than bis honor.
And she, whom all this time he had
thoug ht a mere bit of wax which he
was moulding to his desire she whom
he fondly hoped he was leading, as yet
unconscious!y, to love him, so that when
she was woman and able to choose
him Of her own tree will-his child.
love, his delight, his darling, she had
already given her heart away ; and what
he thought he held safe in his own
hands proved to bs tho mere outside
appearance, no more! And row whaN
could he do? Play the tyrant, and for.
bid her young lover ever to think Of
her again or be maguanimous and
| give up his treasure to the earlier claim
ant? Yet why should he? She hat
shown no feelings tor him ; she mus
have known what te suffered !; and sh'
had placed no trust in him. And a
this thought bis anger began to rise
She had placed no trust in him, he VIII
Of all men priced and desired confidence
Why, then, should ho show her kind
ness? And was it not his duty to looI
into this matter narrowly, and to forbit
it absolutely, Internationally, at leas
for the present, no matter who thi'
young sooundrel might be? He was I
scoundrel; Will Magnus made sure o
that beforehand, else he would not hav'


written to her, child as she was, with
out first asking permission Of her guar
dams and care takers. Yes, the Gems


Of duty cleared off his perplexities b


would forbid the whole affair.


i So, armed with this resolution, h


turned back to the house, and entere'


the dining-room as he had left, it b,
the window.


Here he found Grace sitting alon


among the debris of the breakfast


looking, in his eyes, more like the pic