Year: 1875

ue1e' uare not speak, and all Lean
do to repair the error of coming is to
go at once and leave her, bless her
darling little face| he said, very
slowly and softly; and then he rose
to his feet. Il shall forgetit all some
day. I shall forget it, I tell you"
ne cried; and there was such passion
ate energy in his voice that his COM
panion looked at him with surprise.
"There, Aymer, give me a cigar: why
shouldn't man smoke ?"


Captain Aymer produced cigar
case, and Guy lit a cigar; and, link
ing his arm in his friends they stroll
led off across the lawn.


Guy loved me, as I had felt quite
certain that he did; but the pleasure
which hearing this gave me vanished
when I thoug ght of his resolution of
silence. 1t was worse than not being
loved at all. But what could I do
except be very miserable? I searched
in vain for a little crumb of comfort,
but it was not to be found IN the sum-
mer-house, so I returned to the hall,
determined to 60 and look at Sir
Harry, my usual comforter, and see
If could not draw some consolation
out Of him. I entered the long gal
lery, and was rather surprised to see
Guy there, standing at his easel be-
fore the picture.


He turned on hearing my footstep,
and taking the picture at which he
was working from its resting place
leaned it against the wall, showing
me Sir Harry nearly finished. I was
just on the point of forgetting myself,
and saying, II hope you are not real
ly going?" or something of that sort,
only I remembered just in time that
to do so would have been to betray
that I had overheard the conversa-
ton; so I duly admired the copy,
which was really worthy of admira-
ton.


."May I see that picture, please,
Mr.. Wrey?" Iasked, presently, point
ing to the one he had put down, for
he had removed it hastily, as if he
did not wish me to see it, so I natur-
ally wanted to, very much.


"1t's nothing; it's a sketch only
for You see, Miss Hetherington,
have not given you a full length OF
Sir Harry, as it would have made the
picture larger than I thought you
would care about


eyes, I see, thank you; it is a very
nice size now. Is hot copy from
anything here?" I inquired, for l
was determined to see it, and Guy
appeared determined that I should
not.


mo; an unfinished sketch-a
simple study. I have omitted the
background, you will notice, as I sup.
posed it was only eface you wanted
Miss Hetherington," Guy continued.
cts beautiful! I can't tell you
how pleased I am with it. But please
do let me see that, Mr.. Wreyw
There was no escape for him; so,
very unwillingly, he placed it on the
easel.


I recognized the subject at once
It presented a scene from Tennyson's 8
"Maud"-she and her lover meeting
when


'"The sunset burn'd
| On the blossom'd gable ends
At the head of the village street."
q wonder how many times I have
read it sinceO; and the reason that
Guy had been so reluctant to let me
see it was because the two figures were
exact portraitures of himself and me.
I don't think he was very comfort.
able as stood gazing at it for a long
time.


"What is it called?" I asked at
length.


OF course Guy knew that must
have recognized the likeness, and per.
haps he took courage from my not
being displeased; at any rate, his
resolution of not letting me guess any
thing vanished as he quoted the lines
which his picture illustrated. There
was a look in his eyes which made
my heart beat quickly, as he said
softly:


"If Maud were all that she seem'd


And her smiles were all that dream'd


Then the world were not so bitter
But smile could make it sweet"
He turned his face from me as he
spoke, but not before I had seen an
expression of suffering upon it which
I could not bear should remain.
AS well-brought-up young lady
it was, without doubt, my duty te
say, 'it's sweetly pretty, I'm sure!
or, Il can't think how you do it," 0,
else to make a remark about the
weather, and 60 on may ; but I die
neither, because I loved Guy and hi
loved me, and I did not want us bott
to be unhappy and miserable. So
put my hand on his arm, and when
he turned to me looked him straigh
in the eyes, and said:


'Isn't there something in the poem
little further on about a mans ow,
stupid PRIDE"


The smile on Sir Harry's fac
seemed to heighten ss he looked dow
on me in Guys arms, and seemed t.
encourage me to tell Guy what h