Year: 1875

panion and true helpmate in the ar,
duous life before him. He had hoped
that nv liveliness was merely youth
ful spirits, but finding me hairless
and frivolous he preferred poverty
to marriage with a flirt, and with
drew his claim to my hand.'


"Oh, Flora! such heart as you
have thrown away. In the hours he
has spent here in trying to entertain
me, / have learned much of the no,
bleness of his nature and of his love
tor you. He has so hoped that your
own generous nature would show you
the folly of your frivolous ways"


II have had one lecture, Kate,
pray spare me second. Ralph Ben
edict may seek somewhere else u
wife as cold and censorious as him.
selt."


"And you?"


"O!' with a nervous laugh, che
has kindly indicated my future for
me-"


"Flora, you will not marry Harry
Vane?"


"Such a brainless firt. No!
Though Ralph hattered me enough to
think we were well mated. All !!
Ralph thinks to mortify me by his
rejection he shall see how gladly |
accept my freedom, and Flora left
the room as abrutly as she had enter
ed it to fly to her own chamber, lock
the door, and indulge in a 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 contrast
ed 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 lard realities Of
life, such scenes of suffering, such
calls upon his deepest feelings that
life had become to hlH one broad
field for the exercise of usefulness and
self-sacrifice.


His one dream of happiness she
had broken that day, because he
dared not trust the hopes of life in
the hands of a trifler. Yes, he loved
her, loved her as such 4 nature as his
loves the bright loveliness Of gay
little beauty like Flora, and his heart
ached sorely as he took his long, lone
ly ride. He had promised his uncle
to finish his projected visit, and to
remain some weeks longer, and
no was nerving himself to think of
his cousin as the wife of another, lost
TO him by his own act. As he drew
his horse up to the stable door one OF
the servants came Iunnlng to meet
him.


"Oh, DR.. Benedict, | am 50 glad
you have come! Miss Kate, sir is
very i'll. Will you come to her
quick ?"


"What is it, Norah ?"


"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 cous-
in's side. All embarrassment was
forgotten as she sprang to meet him.


"Oh, Ralph, help me-"


"You have seen her in these at
tacks before" gaavely; "tell me what
you did and how she has been taken
now"


Clearly and concisely, while sit
ting at the bedside of the sufferer,
Flora described former attacks and
their treatment, and the probable
cause of the present one.


Quick to decide and prompt to
act, Ralph made Flcra useful as a
nurse, while he tried his skill with
loving zeal to ease the gentle girl be-
fore them. His uncle came in late in
the afternoon, and, seeing 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 firmer, 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 snx-
iety did what Larshness and coldness
could never have done-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 sacrifice
that dwelt under the vivacity.


At last the danger was over, and
after a fortnightof devoted watching,
Kate was pronounced convalescent,
and her weary little nurse consented to
leave her for long afternoon sleep
in her own room.


If you please, sir" said the scared
voice of Nora at Ralph's door, "Miss
Flora has tainted clean dead away,
sir


"Where?" cried Ralph Starting up.


"In her aoom, sir. She is alto
gether worn out with nursing