Year: 1876

seriously oppose any wish of hers
So, while the evil-faced man who had
listened at the window sped over the
fields, Harry Craige pressed his sui,
till John Hammersley was won tc
give his cansent to a marriage thai
was really worldly advantage to his
niece. -


Consent once gained, Harry plead
ed hard for a speedy wedding. Sc
the bans were published, and the
guests invited.


Mark Halstead, a second cousin
of Margaret's, and with disappoint-
ed heart, consented to he groomsman,
but Hall kept aloof, though he met
Harry often, and gave him a grudg-
ing civility.


The wedding day came, and the
cottage was decorated for the festivi-
ties after, the marriage. Margaret
wedding dress was already lonned.
The bride, was waiting. but Harry
did not come.


Mark Halstead, after a whispered
consultation with Mr.. Hammersley,
went to where Harry had boarded.
Here he was informed that on the
previous evening a note had been
handed in for Mr.. Craige, and i'm
mediately afterwards he had driven
away. That was all Mark could find
out that night.


The guests dispersed, Margaret re-
fusing all companionship but that of
her uncle.


When they were alone together,
she crept into the strong arms that
had been her protection and shelter
from childhood, and lay there, white
as the bridal dress she wore, shiver-
ing and fearless. And looking at
her mute misery, John Hammersley
restrained the torrent of indignant
words trembling upon his tongue,
and soothed her as if she had been
an infant.


''IIe is sick or hurt" the old man
said.


In his heart he added, Sand if the
false villain is deceiving my girl, |
will shoot him like q dog" But he
had no opportunity to keep the un-
spoken threat.


A letter was written to the firm,
and one of the senior partners came
to Brashaw.


1t was some comfort to heart-bro-
ken Margaret to hear of the high es-
TEEN in which Harry was held, and
see the evident sorrow of the elderly
gentleman who spoke so warmly of
his partner.


'It is absurd to suppose he has run
away" said his partner; she is man
of influence in business, and his So
cial standing is of the best and'-
here he$prned to Margaret-"his
love was pure, honorable aud sincere.
l, who hive snown him from boy,
KNOW ti.st he was man who wnnld
scorn to play with any woman's
heart"


Only piteous cry of, "Where can
he be?" burst from the girls white
lips.


"Had he any enemies here?" was
the next stern question.


No one knew of any. The frank,
bright nature had won friends all
about him. Even Hall had been
seen in friendly conversation with
the missing man on the day of his
disappearance.


Every inquiry resulted in the
same disappointment, till the nine
days wonder died out, and the mys-
terv was unsolved.


The faithful heart that loved Har
nv kept his image ever closely folded,
grieving silently and in solitude,
and wearily resuming the routine Of
life. Every duty Of her humble,
quiet life Margaret fulfilled with pa
tient care; but her step was slow and
weary, her face pale, and her eyes
heavy with weeping. But her uncle,
who loved her fondly, missed her rip
ping laugh, her sweet song. And it
was delicate tribute he paid Mar
garet's sorrow that he never once
hinted to her that there might be
some dishonorable explanation of her
lovers disappearance. This idea
haunted him. Since the departure
of the senior partner of the firp
there was no one to speak of Harry
in terms of cOmmendation, and
speculations were numerous in the
village. A wife secretly hidden
away, who threatened exposure, was
5 favOrite theory. Debt was another.
Escape from punishment for some
crime was third. But all these
theories were kept from Margaret.


Winter set in. Hall came often to
the cottage. His face was one that
could mask an evil heart with an as
sumption of rough frankness, and
seldom had any one seen it as it re-
vealed itself when he listened at the
cottage window. He had left the
vessel, of which he was first mate
and part owner, to go upon long
cruise without him, and he employed
all his time in q vigorous pursuit OF
his conrtship. AS deeply as he
could love any one he loved Mar
garet; and he felt sure of her favor
until Harry Craige came. John
Hammersley favored the sailors suit
and after Margaret had given her
grief its full sway for three months,
she was hidden to "mOpe" no longer,
but cheer up, as there was just as
good fish in the sea as ever were
caught. So, with her sorrow as deep
as at first. her heart true as steel, the
girl had to be present when Hall
came to the cottage, and listen to his
rough wooing. Again and again she
refused his presents, his compliments
his offers to escort her here or there
But the man would not be driven
away. Encouraged by the nncles
IF n