Year: 1870


ing? But | would not stop to think about
It.


Here S letter for you that j OBJ brought
IN while you were gone,' said my grand
mother.


[ took it and glanced at Mr.. Deane He
sat by the open window reading one sheet
of his letter with knit brows, while the 9TH
er lay beside him. Suddenly light breeze
whirIed it out into the flower plat, and
ran out to get it. Il had not occurred t.
me TO be curious about the letter, and moth
Ing was farther from my thoughts than to
read over the date of it; but the writing
Was large and plain, and, as | stopped to
pick 1t up, the first four words were turned
into my mind like letters Of fire.


My own dear husband " Surely it
should have been nothing to me that Mr.
Deane's wife had written to him but, woe
i me the fact of his having wife at all
was like death blow to me-like the in
slant before dieing, when one sees at q
glance the whole map OF one life


| gave him the letter without looking at
him, and went up 10 my room.


Doubtless this was the Dear Mary to
whom | had written that first letter from
his d!ctation, and [ had foo!ishIy taken it
for granted that she was his sister. He had
never spoken OF her, but married people
are always mysterious, and her price
might be far above rubies nevertheless He
had done nothing to make her jealous.
Once he had taken my hand and touched
it with his lips, and all the rest of the foun-
dations Of my castle in the ar lay in looks
more or less expressed.


But the love, it appears, was all on my
side. He was idle and grateful, that was
all.


l would 90 away at once, n matter where.
Mr.. Deane was so far recovered that my
grandmother could easily attend to all his
wants, and he could soon return to his own
place. It would be something to remem-
Der. if nothing more.


Then [ read my own letter and III it was
my way of escape


Aunt Rachael wrote to say that she was
st deaths door with neuralgia, and would [
come to help her with the children?' She
saw that door SO often in her own account
of her suferings that familiarity with ii
had rather hardened my heart toward Aunt
Rachael, bat now 1 was ready to lay all the
stress on her letter which it would bear.


What will Mr. cane say to your going
away p said my grandmother, when | had
Impressed on her mind my duty to Aunt
Rachacl.


Il don't care wha. he says"


'Lor - said my grandmother, with
Look which implied two hours speech a:
least


That letter was from his wife" [ said,
looking anywhere but at her.


She never answered word, but just kiss
ed me on both eyes, ana stroked my hair
tenderly for minute or two. Then we par
ted for the night, and ! went array in the
morning before Sir. Deane was up.


Aunt Rachael was out of sight Of death
door long before | reached her, As | had
confidently supposed she would be; but she
welcomed me heartily, and the kisses of the
children soothed somewhat the sore spot in
my heart.


For the next three days the activity of the
busy bee long ago impaled on a poetical
pin, was not to be compared with mine. Ii
there was any gifts of healing in mere work,
[ was determined to have them out Of it !;
but the image Of Mr.. Deaue was ever in
ms mind' S eye, and as people say who nave
not been to the Normal" got DO better
fast.


Last of all I went huckleberrying with
the children, and picked as formy life.


There : strange man coming across the
field, said one of them.


| looked up after minute, and took Mr.
DeaDe' 5 offered haad.


IT you teach school as you pick berries
your fortune will soon be made, he said,
with glad look in his eyes which seemed
to bani>h that dreadful wife of his to the
uttermosJ parts of the earth.


How did you find me -


by my wits chiefly. Your grandmother
was as mysterious over your departure as if
you had gone into u convent; but when |
told her | had good news for you she reen-
ted, and gave ne the clue to your hiding
place


Aunt Rachael directed you here?"


''Preciaely.'


"What is your good news?"


Il have heard of a school that you can
have for the asking


Il am exceedingly obliged to you.


1T is a private school, and very small a;
but it has the reputation of being difficult
to manage and from all that | know OF
you, [ have concluded that you will be the
right person VIII yon undertake it ?''


YES, if you are sure OF my fitness


Il haven'ta doubt of it. | said the
school is small-it has, in fact, one scholar,
aged thirty two, and his name is John ia
cob Deane.


IF said anything or committed myself
in any way for some minutes after this as
tonishing speech, L have entirely forgotten
it.


''And that letter II found myself saying
after awhile.


SGV,S from, my sister tn her husband