Year: 1873

back through the stair door and
disappeared. Abeth had laid aside
her book, and with her head upon
her hand, was indulging in a deep
reverie, and for once the cheerful
"yes, I'll see to them," failed to
make response. Some strange
mood was upon her tonight, for
the deep-set hazel eyes were very
dark, and the straight smooth
brows, which gave so much of
character to her face, were drawn
together. At the opposite side of
the table, deeply interested in the
adventures Claud Duval and Dick
Turpin, sat Clarence Miner;
pretty young man with slumbrous
black eyes, and mouth the shape
of Cupid's bow. For the past ten
years, circumstances had thrown
those two into each others society.
They had attended the same dis
trict school, till her parents died
and Abeth was taken to her grand
parents home, then Clarence went
there to live too, working for wa
ges during the summer, and for his
board during the winter, when he
first attended, and afterward
taught the school near by. The
only young people in the house,
totally dependent upon each other
for company, she, restless, undisci-
plined, and hungering for affection


he aimless, warm-hearted, and
ready to make love to any one, il
was no wonder that gradually they
had grown into the relation oi
lovers.


Bye and bye he put away hi:
book, and taking Abeth's face be
tween his hands, asked what she
was thinking of so steadily. She
told him that she scarcely knew
herself, and that he would not want
to hear. But he insisted that III
did, and asked if it were not abou
"mittening" so many for sake o
such miserable wretch as himself


mo, Renee, / was not thinking
of that, I've been reading that, as
scientific people declare there is nc
more material in the world than al
first, so there may also be no more
life, and we may have been lots Of
other folks before we came to be
ourselves. Isn't it queer theory,
and what do you think about it!"


Kneeling beside her, and wind
ing his arm about her waist, he
said, "Oh, bother! | never worry
my head with such things, what's
the use ?" Drawing away from him
little, she told him he ought to
think. That it was the duty OF
every one to whom had been given
the power, and she sometimes be-
lieved that not only "all this think
ing soul had thought" but also all
it had not thought we might be
responsible for. Annoyed, and out
of patience with what were to her
absorbing questions, he broke in
pettishly, with-"What do you
want to preach to me so much for
l don't like you half so well when
you're serious" Then repeatedly
kissing her saddened face, he asked
apologetically, 'isn't it enough to
know you are the best girl in the
world, and the only one / ever care
ed a straw for, without getting the
blues over these things 2" Twin
ing her fingers in his thick beauti-
ful hair, Abeth said slowly, 81 sup
pose / do bother you, Renee, but l
can't help talking of such things
sometimes. l often wish | were
not so queer, and more like the
other girls are"


After he had said good night,
and gone to his room, Abeth fast
ened the doors, caught the cat in
the pantry skimming pan of milk,
and cut her short in her industri-
Gus act by turning her out of
doors then mechanically looking
through the house to see that all
was well, she went to her little
room and stood long time by the
window, gazing out, yet not seeing
the moonlit landscape made up of a
grove of pines, few neighboring
houses, and the line of willows
showing where little creek made
its way through the farm. She
thought of Bell Carson, her inti-
mate friend, and of what her lover
was. How he had helped Bell to
improve herself, had sent her good
notwithstanding hooks peaceful