Year: 1873

"I ought to be glad, if it has brought that new look into your face. You keep it for rare times and people, and perhaps for me 1t may never come again. It is going now. Have said too much |? An, Miss Helen! No? We'll, do not hurry away then. I was only going to say how hard it is to know people thoroughly. I d1d not think there could come look on your face that would be strange to me, and yet"

 GA poor study, I should say."

 ''Not so, because it taught, if am not wrong, that in some far-away time"

 ''Pardon me, you are on my skirt. No; indeed, thought you were. Please ask Thomas to tighten the girths little. You, of course, are afoot. Thanks, that was nicely done. Good morning"

 I stopped 0 minute, half vexed, half amused, until the dust from her groom's horse hid the form I had learned to love so we'll. Then turned back for long walk, around the Neck and past Bateman's. Near this last place I met a friend, who carried me ot off his home near by, where a pleasant little bachelor dinner and an af- ternoon sail whiled away the day.

 It was close on to sunset as I started to walk home by the avenue. When I came near to the ily-pond the fancy took me to wander out on the rocks aga1n where I had been in the' morning; very gray and weird they are as the twilight falls, full peopled with uncouth shadows which at times get them strange faces, and seem to slide from rock to rock as, moving by,you see them grow or lessen.

 The spirit of the scene was soon upon me- sat where had sat in the morning: be- fore me the moving hills of water vast in the dimness,-black walled and rolling loose in their glossy cradles, the wbite moons scattered silver; behind me were uncertain deeps of shadow, through which the gray rocks climbed into the moonshine; and then landward deeper darkness, dim outlines, dark plume of trees here and there against the sky, and, distant far, the lights of the town.

 l sat 8 long while trying to go over the chat of the morning and to make it seem other than it was; but the task was a vain task, and 1t was easier to make the talk what 1t ought to have been. So busted myself, as many man has done before, and as some will do again, building day dream. Very pleasant things she said to ne now that had it all in my own hands, nor could any women be more charming or more gracious. Then my mood would change, and the vision fade, and the bit terness of the day come back to me once more. It became best at last to laugh. which remember I did right heartily. until was stopped by the loneliness of my mirth. ESQ.," said I, ''there is still one mistress worth the wooing;;" and thereupon lit my pipe, and across it's SO. clal little fireside watched the lights on the ships and in the distant lighthouse, or tried to make out the signals at Block Island.

 The night was very warm, and by and by, lulled by the waters, I fell into doze; and from this into another, awaking out of which little chilled, struck my re- peater and found I had spent most of the night on the rocks. The early daylight was already climbing the skies to my right, and, half vexed, half amused, I be- gan to gather myself tlR qR tp g8 gg8qiuw uwhaR hAaast there was on the rocks lady. Her pres- cnce at this hour of the morning quite startled me; for not only was the time strange, but also the woman was quite aloue. At any other hour I should have felt no wonder at her being here, and should only have turned and walked away. But at this time of day, I might say of night, our being there together was like people meeting in strange lands, who must needs speak, even if under other skies they might pass by and make no sign As T turned to look at her more- nearly, I saw that she she was seated on a rock at the very waters edge, And that the waves now hreaking, but low, came up almost to her knees. Pardon me, /" said I, in some haste. and with real feel ing of alarm, ''madam, do you know you are in danger where you are sitting? Let me help you, Pray, take my arm."

 As spoke she turned her head, and l saw that she had very long red hair, which hung down over her shoulders and even lay on the rock like some strange sea- weed. In the dim light could see only that her eyes were so large as to be al- most unnatural. In fact, they were inn mense. She answered me in a voice which was so soft and lazy and so drawling that the effect was to add oddness to the curi- ous reply with which she met my offer. Don't come near me |: I have been watch ing you while you were asleep, and I like you.

 "But-" said I.

 "Don't do it. might be tempted, you see. If you had only both your fins, I think l surely should do it; but what would my family say if I brought home 8 young man with his near fipper gone?"

 "Goodness!' said ], ''why, you must you must be mermaid"

 "And why not? If the young woman who fished for me had only been heart whole, should have been by this time, I suppose, in some horrid museum"

 t'And the ring" I cried, ''you have it?''

 t'Of course have it: it's poor kind of affair. I've got lots better at home, but then it was awful jolly,-don't mind my language. I got it listening to the girls on the rocks,-it was tremendous jolly to feel that funny little line go crack, and to know the goosey was in love and didn't guess it, maybe. I tell you, she was cut up about that ring"

 "Where is it ?" said I.

 'sWant to see 1t |? Just come here. I'm little damp; you won't mind that, and - We'll, I'm just as good looking as she is, except she's got toes and l haven't; but they're very much in the way in the water. They would't last no time going through school of herring. You want the ring, do you?"

 tYes."

 'sWell, then, I'll put it on the rock; but don't come any closer. Either it's that horrid fin of yours that's gone,-was il bit off ?-or else I'm little land-sick. Good by. How nasty it must be to be dry all over!''

 Here heard plunge, and the woman was lost in the water at my feet. ''Good graciousp' said l, as I rubbed my eyes, sswhat ridiculous dream r In fact, had not passed the night, but had simply fallen asleep, for who can tell how many seconds? My watch, however, showed me at once that at least an hour had past The tide was we'll out, the uncovered rocks ugly and repulsive with their shab. by, dank weeds, and the night about tc fall. I found that in my droll dreaming I had very we'll kept in mind the IlaiI features of the rocks, and, as I walked out on the ledge where my mermaid hai sat, saw that she could very we'll have been there. As stepped back again noticed a little gleam on the rock, ant bending down, to my surprise found in : little hollow in the stone ring which a