Year: 1871

and making the little lake beyond look
like o great white pearl. Gazing earn
estly downward she saw a tall, shadowy
figure standing beneath the shade OF
the old elm. With a low cry she sprane
from the room, and, a moment after,
stood beside her lover.


&c Come, at last, my treasure" cried
Mark Winchester, folding her in his
arms She remained leaning passively
against his breast, while be pressed
passionate kisses upon her forehead.
cheeks, and lips


Why have you made me wait sc
long, darling ?" he said softly, and, tax
ing both her slender hands in one OF
his, he pressed them to his lips. "Why,
how cold you are How you tremble y
he continued, as she chung to him.
What is the matter, May %


e waited because Threaded to meet
YOU, Mark. +"


Why? What do you mean 2"


And, brokenly through her tears and
sobs, she told him all. He did not
speak of star while she was talking
and when she had finished there was a
long silence She lacked courage to
say more.-he would not ask She re-
peated the last words g And to NOR
row mu1t give him my answer" Still
he did not speak.


She looked up at him. In the dim
| light she could see his rigid, aGonized
face, white os, and cleaning eyes,
She stole her arms about his neck, and
drew his forehead down to her lips.


''Speak to me, Mark; say that you
do not blame me-


He knew then that she had decided,
and what that decision was.


g And you will leave me, May, and
marry that old man ~


Heaven pity me, Mark, for must
[ will become his wife, and will be
true and faithful to him, for be will be
kind to me. You willie of me thus,
and v-hen you do, remember my words,
Mark that you have my heartn


GO will remember, May. God help
us both, for I shall never forget you. :
They shall bury me with this upon my
heart" And he drew tress of soft
brown hair from his bosom.


For moment more-one little pre-
cious moment-he held her against his
heart, and tnen kissed her, puther gen
tly from him, and was gone.


For moment she stood alone under
the trees, with clasped hands and face
appraised to the quiet Ky, and then she
turned and walked silently toward the
house. A igl from the library win
dow streamed down on her, and as she
looked up, she saw the shadow of a
bowed figure fall across the curtain.


I" Father, you are saved u she muir
INJURED.


A hand was laid suddenly on her arm
ard she started with low cry.


"Good evening, Miss May" said
| Colonel Leighton. d" have been seek
ing you"


She bowed, and stood silently before
him with calm, downcast face


EsI have been talking with your faith
en-" he continued, care'essly pulling a
rose from a bush near them. " He tells
me that you have promised to think of
my proposal, and let us know what your
decision is tomorrow Is there any
thing I can say which will influence
you to form that conclusion in my ia
vor ?"


You cannot say ANYTHING which
will Influence me in the least, Colonel
Leighton. AS my father has said, you
shall have my answer tl-morrow. :"


He glanced at the poung face, so sad
to its calm dignity, and looked down
at his fingers again, which were bruising
in tearing to pieces the blossom he held,
and allowing the crimson petals to fall
at his feet, as if they were fragment of
the heart he was breaking. In the long
silence that followed sne glanced up at
him once wjjh the thought of finging
herself upon his mercy by giving him
her confidence; but the stern express
sion of his face repelled her.


Miss May Warren" he said sud
denly, you are averse to this mar
riage


His tone aided In rendering his words
an assertion. She was startled, but re-
piled quietly. "Do you think so -


''I must oe blind if L could think
otherwise, he continued, with sudden
energy. May Warren, you 1.now that
you hate me-that you would die rath-
er than to become my wife, were it not
for your fathers sake"


Before she realized what she was do
ing, the monosyllable GO Yes" slipped
from her lips.


:" And in doing this, do you realize
how you would wrong us both ?"


She was silent.


&C It shall never be. I will never call
you my wife, knowing that you do not
love me-that your heart is not in my
keeping. [ will not tell you Of my
hopes, how [ have dreamed that my last
days would be my happiest ones-it
would not interest you. Now I have
only to say that you are free as if I had
never seen your sweet face"


He paused for reply, but she
made none. Bewildered by her position
she did not know what to say.


-" l know that [ have my self re-
proach, " he went on. My motive in
offering your father my assistance was
purely selfieh one. The consequences
are only what I deserve I had no
thought of the long years during which
he had been my true and faithful
friend, but cruelty took advantage of
his position to gain my own ends, Yes,
I am properly punished


There was bitterness in his tone. a
dependency in his attitude, that great
| ly changed his accustomed, dignifed
composure of manner Half uncon-
scious of what she did, only sensible OF
the pity she felt for him, the young girl
put her hand upon his arm, and said
softly, " Forgive me-"


, &C Forgive me, rather, my child" he
said, gently, taking the little hand il
, one of his, misery L have caused you
[ should have known that our paths IL
life could never be one. But good
) night, [ will uot detain you"
She did not shrink from him as he
bent down to kiss her forehead, with
) his last words. He stepped aside tc
) allow her free passage to the house
!, but she did not moven


You are thinking of your father,
he said. "Do not be distressed on hi'
account. Remember me in your pray
ers tonight, and sleep sweetly It il
all l ask" "


He did not wait to hear her ferven
HGod bless Won ~ or witness her burS