Year: 1875

pain would result from it unless a
violent strain was brought to bear
upon it.


Then disaster came, and the house
suddenly tailed, leaving me adrift;
and l was preparing to return home,
when was offered an advantageous
position in foreign house, member
of which, was courteously informed,
had Conserved the mastery manner
in which / had managed the affairs
Of the branch which had been en-
trusted to me-"


So, Of course, it transpired that l
did not return to my native land that
autumn nor the next, norm fact, it
was three years from the time l left
for England before / returned. l
landed in the middle of August, last
summer, and at once began to hunt
up old cronies, by aid of memory and
directories. But l had no luck. Fred
l could get no track of, only that he
had Just returned from European
trip; but where he might be at this
particular time was uncertain. All
for whom l cared III the city were out
OF town for the warm weather, or
else where / could not readily find
them, and | began to think | was
fool to come across the water at so
unpropititious a time. My own inn
mediate family, l found on inquiry,
were stopping for few weeks at a
remote place, twenty miles or more
beyond the little valley where Fred
and | summercd some three years be-
fore, and towards that point | turned
my face.


Just before sunset the train made a
halt at the little village overlooking
the valley where l had met my fate,
and where the last time | had seen
Fred he was engaged in making a
sketch of the valley, hardly taking
his eye from the canvas to bid me his
CHEEKY goodbye. For some reason
the train was delayed few moments
and as l gazed over the valley, the
old feeling of three years before was
instantly surging and swaying in my
breast; and before the train was again
in motion stood upon the rude
country station platform, unable to
resist the force impelling me there,
thinking | could pursue my journey
the next day as well as this.


After the tram had departed, and |
observed the curious country eyes
scanning my singular movements, |
suddenly realized my awkward posi-
ton, and wandered what to do. Me-
chanically strolled toward the spot
Fred had chosen for his vantage
ground to view the valley. Little
change was visible. The sunset col
ors were less vivid, and consequently
the shadow over the valley was less
somber-a much more pleasing pic
ture; and yet could not hel p feeling
that the somber shadow was over my
heart instead.


l aimlessly followed the winding
road into the valley, descending at
every step farther and farther into
the shadow; yet my soul into its own
shadow plunged more recklessly still,
the gloom surrounding it seeming al
most sullen in its intensity. ..4


Suddenly it grew lighter. What
did it presage? A large cumulus of
cloud had drifted into the range of
the suns rays, and caught the splen-
dor, sending them down to the earth
in a glow OF reflection. 'If my own
soul could drift INTO such volume
of light" | thought, bitterly, and
walked slowly onward.


What marvellous shapes the clouds
take at times! This one and smaller
ones, drifting with and counter to it,
suddenly took the shape of huge
anchor, seeming to me, III my short
ened vision, a CLEAN of mighty irony
glowing with false glimmer.


So intent was my gaze bent heav-
onward that | did not observe a fig
ure Immediately in front of me,
emerging from the valley. 1t was a
female figure, and hastily stepped
on one side to allow her to pass, hard
ly Withdrawing my gaze from the
heavens. The moment she had pass
ed, in obedience to sudden impulse,
l turned my head to see hers also
turned to observe me. The light
from the cloud of hope shone full IN
her face, and l started at the recogni
ton. Was my soul then drifting, as
,yonder cloud had done? Was this
thrill that bathed it in pathos the
light, indeed, that warns and glori-
ties all it shines on-or was it but
mocking irony?


"Miss Perryn' l exclaimed, "this is
a rare pleasure"


She advanced in the same shy man
ner as of old, and held out her hand
i'll the old coy style.


''Was it you, then, | was to meet
at the station?" she asked.


"Were you expecting some one" /
asked, a little bewildered.


"No-yes," was the hesitating re-
ply. 81 suppose, if 1 tell you, you
will laugh at me-, | was sitting in
the parlor, short time ago, looking
now and :hen at the old picture you
were pleased to take so much notice
Of in those other years-the picture
has been very dear to me latterly,"
she, ,parentbetically added, with a just
perteptible tremor in her voice -
"when suddenly / was impressed
with the idea that / was to meet
somebody at the station. The notion
occurred to me at once as so ridicu-
lous that l laughed outright. But it
wouldn't be laughed down, and final
ly started, and-here | am."
l then told her how had Just re-
turned from Europe, and was on my
way to find my mother and sister,
when | was almost impelled from the
cars.


"And you Were going right by
without stopping to see us?"


l hesitated, not knowing the nature
of the ground was standing on, and
not caring to make misstep.


"Fred and l would both have been
SO disappointed if you had"


"Ah! is Fred here?" asked, max