Year: 1872

not even farmer.


The week passed on like fair dream
Vincent would fit back and forth from
city to country. like an idle butterfly that
he was.


Vierie spent the time between his WIS.,
its in walking, riding, or sailing on the
river, with Frank too often her companion.
Yes, too often, for uncensciously she was
beginning to love. to listen to his quiet,
earnest conversation, to watch his chang
ing, expressive eyes, and his calm, respect
ful manner towards her. Always distant
but courteous, he had never shown that
he thought her more than mere passing
acquaintance and so Fievie, unalarmed
by any action of his, dreamed on, and in
nocently believed her heart true to Vim
cent


Her whole life, that idle, dreamy sum-
mcr, was like dream in which she took
no part but glided unconsciously along
with it.


But an awakening came at last. Vim
cent had been down and had been more
impetuous, impulsive and boyish than ev-
er, urging her to a speedy union and de-
claring that be could not live without her.
At last she had promised, and his rhapso-
dies had been so persistent and passionate
that his departure was relief.


And now she sat at her window watch
ing that old yet ever new-ever beautiful
scene-a sunset, and looking her future
steadily in the face.


"Why is it that dread my marriage
day so much? Do all young girls on the
eve Of a new life, feel so reluctant, Iwon-
der?" she unused and then the name of
Frank trembled on her ps. "No, not
him Never him." she said resolutely,
while her compressed lips. and face slowly
paled till they looked cold and still. like
marble. ssA country laborer! A penu
rious farm hand love him? Never !"
Then the words she had somewhere read
rang family through her brain:


81 do not love thee, no, do not love thee
do not, though a smothered thrill
Quickencs the beaming of my heart when


thou art near me.


\ quick strong beating that L cannot


still.''


Then she pictured Frank as belonging
to another. as being lost to her entirely
with one great heart bound and one tear
less sob, 81 sank upon the floor. so |
do love him God help me! l love him
and am bound to another! love him
unasked, and unloved in return - Tears
came to her relief and she wept long and
bitterly. Then with prayer to Heaven
for help to do her duty, she arose compos-
ed and resolute and proceeded to pack up
her possessions. Il must go home and
the sooner l am-married, the better, for
as the wife of Vincent l cannot, will not
think of another. One more evening with
dear good Mrs. Stanhope. one more visit
to the loved scenes around Valley Farm
and then goodbye to them all forever
Oh Frank, Frank, can ever forget you?
This happy, bhssful summer with you
will ever be green in my memory. Oh,
that could forget The tears sprang
again to her eyes but she fercely brushed
them away.


Vincent was there again the next day,
and together they wandered over all the
old walks and stopped at last close to the
rivers edge. The river was deep, with a
swift, strong current, and Vievie had Of
ten stood gazing into its dark, gloomy
depths. dreaming for hours; now sh C bent
over them silently, scarcely hearing Vim
cents passionate words. Just across the
path in the next field were the hay ymakers
and among them she easily distinguished
Frank by his tall and symmetrical form
and his easy, graceful motions. Fix her
eyes determined as she would, upon the
water, they would wander to him, and
had Vincent known how far her thoughts
were away from what he was saying. he
would have been more impatient and re-
proachful than ever. But Vievie was
growing weary of his ceaseless homage,
and fancy seized her to see how far down
she could look into the water OF the river.
There was an old tree near them that had
fallen with its top far into the stream
Out upon that she climbed, as far as she
could 90, spite of Vincent's entreaties,
and lightly leaning over an old bough she
gazed down, down into clear, swift water.
But the old decayed limbs could not bear
up even her slender form. and swaying
and trembling few moments they fell
with crash and left Vieyie struggling in
the cold river.


She grasped one limb after another,
but they all gave way and she gave up in
despair. Meanwhile Vincent was deliver
ing series of frightened yells, running
up and down the bank, and jumping in
and out of the river. and finally pulling
off his $ beautifully fitting boots and lay
ing them carefully on the log He was
just deciding to wade out q little way in
to the water, when Frank Wyman bound
ed past him, and plunged into the river
Some of the harvest hands started for Il
boat a quarter of mile up stream, others
stood hopelessly with Vincent ON the
bank. But Frank rapidly swan towards
the spot where Fievie had sunk, and grasp
ed her firmly just as sue arose. He struck
out vigorously for the shore, but swift,
strong current carried him farther and
farther down the stream, and spite of all
his efforts, burdened as he was, lie could
not get near the bank. His only hope
was that he could keep up till the boat
came; but at last he despaired even OF
that.


.'Oh Vieyie, cannot save you. God
help US. we must die together" :. Leave
ME and save yourself" said Vievie family.
Never! Oh darling with death so close
it cannot be wrong to tell you how PAS
sionately love you! Vievie Vievie, one
word Oh God, she is dead p But she
was not dead, only exhausted. One faint
smile. one low whispher, Il love you"
and her senses left her. With a new
strength in his arms. and a new hope in
his heart, he exerted himself once more,
and with almost superhuman effort kept
Vievie and himself above water till the
boat came, and they were lifted almost
lifeless into it.


Ceaseless and untiring care at least re-