Year: 1870

very angry with my brother this morn
ing


You hurt him very much"


ssI meant to hurt him."


He is very young


Young or old, he did acrong"


There was-a pause. Mr.. Langton sat
forward, leaning his dark face on his
hand.


Well?" he said again.


Her eyes had fallen. When he ques-
toned her, they looked back to his face;
she began to speak again, and gradually
as she spoke her check flushed hot and
bright.


s.Could you not be little gentler with
them,-a little less angry with them when
they do wrong? I know that Tom de-
served 10 be punished te-day buff
you could be little gentler! When you
are angry every one misunderstands you
o. Mr.. Langton !" che cried, "you do
not know half what is said against you p


The tears had sprung up into her eyes;
her earnest distress had filled her face
with look almost of passion.


Il cannot attend to all the fools
tongues in Brent" was his scornful an
swer. " Stand you by me, and they may
talk as they please"


. But could you not bear little with
them 2" she pleaded timidly. /" Mr..
Langton, you must not think that they
can do you no harm. They can harm you;
they send every complaint they have
against you to the rectory. They are
saying already the poor girls voice
almost broke down." they are saying
already that you will not be much longer
here"


'.Ah? are they saying that ?" and he
laughed.


She gave him one sad look, and then
dropped her head, aud spoke no more
Her clasped hands lay on her lap; pres
emily as she sat, large tears fell down and
wet them. She never moved he also
sat motionless. She thought he did not
know she was weeping, but she was wrong
there; he was conscious of every tear she
shed.


Quietly watching her, he fet the silence
last for several minutes then bending to
her at last, he said these words


"If it comes to that,-if | am not to
be here much longer,-Margaret, will
you let me leave Brent as poor as when l
came 2"


She started as he spoke, but she Meth
er replied to him or raised her head. He
did not withdraw his look from her; af-
Ter few moments he spoke again.


:. have loved no woman before. You
are my first love, Margaret. Will you be
my wife .


She answered him then.


What am that you should ask me
this p she said, in an agitated voice. I" /
am nothing but poor, ignorant girl. O
no-no-l" she cried " Your wife
must not be one like mel"


6. Margaret - he said


She had not looked up till then, but at
that call, as if its passionate tenderness
compelled her, she raised her face. What
need was there to speak again? By her
two hands he drew her near to him, and
took her in his arms.


They told no one of their engagement,
for they knew the outcry that would on
all hands follow its discovery, and no one
suspected it. For three months they
were both Infinitely happy.


Even in the school during these months
there was Improvement. Margaret
power over Mr.. Langton was great one
word or one look from her, one touch of
her hand, could subdue him in his angri-
est and haughtiest moods and, rendered
pliable for his love for her, he strove, and
often strove successfully, to bend his
pride and curb his temper. Thus, for a
time, all things went wonderfully we'll.
But this hollow kind of peace was not a
thing to last Margaret could not be al
ways by his side, or in his sight; and one
day at length in an unlucky hour, sud
denly, without warning, the three months
tranquility expired.


Mr.. Langton quarreled with the rec
tor. The rector was really wrong in the
ground of quarrel, and Philip right; but
Philip, in his indignation, forgot all de-
ference due to him as his employer, stood
up before him as equal to equal, and the
end of the days business was, that when
the school house was closed in the after
noon, the key of it went into the rector's
pocket.


He had written the sentence of their
separation Margaret knew that. but she
did not reproach him. They met to-
gether that evening for the last time al
the foot of cliff beside the sea, which
had witnessed many meeting theirs
before, with the calm wide water stretch
ing from their feet.


g It must have come sooner or later
he said. 's Do not grieve so for it, my
darling. was wasting time here My
going now will only bring mo back to you
the sooner"


She looked up wistfully to his face:


" The future is all so dark, she cried;
g we cannot see into it.. feel as if was
holding the last link of golden chain ;
and to-night-to-night before sieep-l'
will have fallen from me"


a No; it will not have fallen !" he an
swered. cheerfully. 6 Your hand grasp
ing one end, mine holding fast the other,
it will remain stretched out between US
until the hour that come back. Mar
garet will work for you; ] will strug,,
gle for you; will rise for you. And
you" he cried wait for me! for no
power, but the power of God taking my
i;fa shall LAa, ma from coming back.