Year: 1872

respectful, commonplace man of
business, In whom one could not
help feeling confidence, but whom
certainly no one could take for
gentleman. The more Mrs. Alsa-
ger knew of the young man, the
more she asked him. He had been
educated at Harvard, he had resd
great deal he could talk French,
AID could converse about Paine and
Ruskin and art he could play the
piano; yet he never seemed to dream
of being above his business. Even
Alice after while became quite re-
conciled to him.


Both ladies grew very fond of Is
abel. Mrs. Alsager insisted that
until she was was ready to leave the
house not a hand should be put to
alter any of its arrangements, nor
shoald the new owners or any of
their servants enter it except as vis-
itors. This, at least, spared Isabel
some pangs. To the last, the old
home was to be the same. She
could never see any change in it
except such change as Fate inexor-
able and already made.


Isabel was to go to Florida, ae-
companied only by her maid,
Swedish girl, who had lived with
her since they were both children.
These last days were very sad. Is
abel was leaving the home of her
birth, her childhood, her affections
the home which now seemed like
the sacred grave of her dead father
and mother. The doctors assured
her that a warm climate would re-
store her health but she sometimes
faneied she felt a presentment that
her own grave would be made in
the south, and she thought it might
perhaps as well be SO, although she
yearned to lie near her mother in
death. Yet she always showed an
outward cheerfulness and courage.
Her one great consolation was so
purely sentimental that practical
minds would adore her for 1.-THE
thought that tender and kindly
hands would care for the places that
had been hers, that the sweet voices
of loving women and the pure
breath of an affectionate and happy
household would gladden. the old
rooms so dear to her.


Was there no thought of sadness,
no grief of parting, no CLEAN of
hope in her which had another
source?


The idea that had shot quickly in
to the minds of Mrs. Alsager and
her daughter when they saw young
Rowan with Isabel had never Oc-
Cured to him. He saw Miss Ger
maine sweet and friendly to him, as
she was to his father and to every
one, He saw that no idea of so
eial separation ever seemed to ex-
press itself In her manner. But she
came of a great old family, and his
father was only a better sort of
workingman. and he himself aspired
to nothing higher than the success
sion to his fathers business. 1t new
er occurred to him as possible that
Isabel could care for him. Now
that his father had money and she
had none, his spirit and manhood
would have repelled such thought
more utterly than ever. As Isabel
Germaine could not love such fell
low as he, would he allow his soul
to entertain even for an instant, the
thought that money could buy her?
But he loved her, made her his idol,
conseerated his thoughts to her, con-
fessed his love to himself, and was
glad in the knowledge of it.


He came to see her for the last
time before her journey South. They
were friendly, sad, and in a certain
sense confidential. But each one
kept a great thought back from the
other.


" Would you mind doing me a
little favor before I leave you" +" he
suddenly asked.


Surely 1 will do anything you
wish. What is it ?"


A." Only to sing me that song once
more"


She looked up at him with sad
and speaking eyes. But he was
looking down, had almost turned
away.


She sat down to the piano and
/ played and sang in low, sweet tones
the air he had already heard her
| play. The evening was setting in
the room was growing gray in the
dusk. The voice of the singer be-
came fainter and fainter, as deepen
ing emotions and memories poured
in upon her, and once it seemed as
| if she were about to break down.
But she rallied bravely and went on
to the end.


! He spoke not word hut thank
you and goodbye" In the gather
ing dark she hardly knew that he
was going until he had gone. She
looked eagerly around, found that
she was alone, and broke into tears.
| The air of the South, and per-
lIaps her removal from scenes over
shadowed by melancholy association
did wonders for Miss Germaine. A
few months made marked change.
/ She grew stronger and stronger ev-
cry day. She had received many
letters from the place she still called