Year: 1875




poverty to marriage with flrt, and
withdrew his claim to my hand"


"Oh, Flora such heart as youhave
thrown away. In the hours he has
spent here trying to entertain me, I
have learned much of the nobleness of
his natUre and of his love for you. He
has so hoped that you would let your
own generous nature show you the folly
of your frivolous ways -


"I have had one lecture, Kate, pray
spare me second. Ralph Benedict
may seek somewhere else wife as cold
and censorious as himself"


"And you2"


"Oh !"-with nervous laugh" he
has kindly indicated my future for me-"


"Flora, you will not marry Harry
Vane7"


"Such brainless firt. mol Though
Ralph fattered me enough to think we
are well mated. All Ralph thinks to
mortify me by his rejection; he shall see
how gladly 1 accept my freedom" And
Flora left the room as abruptly as she
had entered it, to fy,to her own chamber,
lock the door, and indulge in long and
bitter fit of weeping.


That afternoon Ralph Benedict was
riding and musing. With his own hand
he had torn from his heart its one
bright spot. In the few glimpses Flora
had let him see of her generous heart,
her many secret acts of charity, her
tender care of her cousin, he had learned
to love the bright little beauty, all the
more that her vivacity SO strongly con-
trasted with his own rather stern nature.
His life was one of earnest aims and
steady seeking for the highest ends of
life. He had seen in his short time of
practice such hard realities of life, such
scenes of suffering, such calls upon his
deepest feelings. that life had become to
him one broad field for the exercise of
usefulness and self-sacrifice.


His one dream of happiness he had
broken that day, because he dared not
trust the hopes of his life in the hands of
trifer. Yes, he loved her, loved her
as such nature as his loves the bright
loveliness of gay little beauty like
Flora, and his heart ached sorely as he
took his long, lonely ride. He had
promised his uncle to finish his pro-
iected visit and remain some weeks
longer, and he was nerving himself to
think of his cousin as the wife of an
other, lost to him by his own act. As he
drew his horse up at the stable door one
of the servants came running to meet
him.


"Oh, DR.. Benedict, am so glad you
have come Miss Kate, sir. is very ill.
Will you come to her quick ?"


"What is it, Nora"


"Oh, sir one of those dreadful spells
she used to have when she first hurt her
spine"


The quick, firm step of Ralph was the
first grateful sound Flora had heard
since being called to her cousins side.
All embarrassment was forgotten as she
sprung to meet him.


"Oh, Ralph, help me !"


"You have seen her in these attacks
before, " he said, gravely; "tell me what
you did then, and how she has been
taken now"


Clearly and concisely, while sitting at
the bedside of the sufferer, Flora de-
scribed former attacks and their treat
ment, and the probable cause of the
present one.


Quick to decide and prompt to act,
Ralph made Flora useful as nurse, while
he tried his skill with loving zeal to ease
the gentle girl before them. His uncle
came in late in the afternoon, and, see
ing how things were, refused to send for
any other advice, and, thus free to act,
Ralph was busy, faithful, and untiring,
yet his hand was not frmer, his step
quicker, or his mind clearer than those
of the pale yet steady little nurse. For
three nights and days she never left the
sick girls side, and, in the whispered
talks beside her when asleep all levity
was gone, all trifing vanished. Sorrow
and anxiety did what harshness or cold
ness could never have dene-subdued
the frivolity that was on the surface of
Flora's nature, showing the devoted
love, the quiet presence of mind, the
unwearying capacity for self-sacrifce,
J that dwelt under the vivacity.
At last the danger was over, and after
fortnight of devoted Watching Kate
was pronounced convalescent, and her
weary little nurse consented to leave her
for a long afternoon sleep In her own
! room.
| eff you please, sir" said Nora'f
scared face at Ralph's door, "Mis:
Flora has tainted clean dead away, sir. ;"
"Where9" cried Ralph, starting up.
|, "In her room, sir. She is altogether
, worn out with nursing"


J Worn out, indeed Ralph thought,