Loading...
The Brussels Post, 1888-6-22, Page 7J UNE 22, :1588. EST TO EARNEST. .3y E. P. ltO.E, AMOR ov '1 nian nsas 11Utm:n AWAY," " OPnliIY4 A 0111181 wT Main," UTo. booaute his ideal, as you told us, bliss Lottio." " I told you ?" she answered, in std. don annoyance; " your memory lsbcttcr than wino," Soon after, Mr. Martell and his daugh- ter took their cloparturo, with many sinooro and graoeful aolcnowledg'mcnts of tho ltiucbhess thoy hacl received, Many woro tho words of force and wisdom that Miss Mastoll hacl road and heard, but never lhad any made so pro- found an impression upon Iter as rho vain vaporings of Do Forrest, as ho fn• sided. in claiming all the credit ho could for his notion tho ovoning' before, "Did ho oxaggorato?"sho asked ltor- s0lf a hunchroit tinges, "when ho said, 'It was well I was tlloro ; for Mr. Harcourt svgs bcsido Himself, and was ready to venture out upou a plank to my aid? I fear leo dM." Iter father g, t ei surmised something of her thonghto, and Raid gontly,,"1 fear wo havo do„o Mr. Harcourt nl,lustico.” " Yes Tattler," sho answered in a low tone, " 1 think wo havo." " Woll," he said after a inomont•, " I never h id a pleasautor duty than the :monde I propose malting. It cut mo to the heart to think the son of my old friend had permitted a stranger to comp to our rescue," "I fool suro that Mr. Harcourt would havo come also had it been in hie power," sho said with quint emphasis. "You always stood up for Tom," said her father g, ntly. But sho made no answer. Mr. Martell then questioned his coachman somowhat. "Iodide, sir, wo was all putty nigh crazy whon Mr. Ilaroourb druv in late last night and said you woro safe. Ho told me to come over this morning and got your ordors, and to havo the house ready for yo's." " Now that was considerate. I fool, my daughter, that wo owe Mr. Harcourt an apology. Do yon fool equal to en- tortaining hint at supper ?" " I will try, father," "Drive right on up the town," said Mr, Martell, a little later, from the stops of his piazza, "and present my cornpli- moats to Mr. Harcourt, and ask him if he will favor us with his company at supper." Alice, gave him a shy, grateful glance, and then sought her room. As she was tuwrap ..ing herself boforo tho mirror, she noted that a pane of glass in tho window near was badly cracked, and that tho lace curtain above was tau partially from its fastenings. As her maid entered sho asked how it happened, Thio woman in evident confusion an- swered ; " Indeed, Miss, I meant to mend the curtain this morning, but I've not hal my head straight since last even- ing." Bub how did it happen?" porsistod Aliso , " who could havo been so rough and earolcss?" " ell," said the maid, hesitatingly, "it must havo been Mr. Iarcourt." "Mr. Harcourt?" " Well, you son, Mss, he camo last uight to sco you, for one of the girls said ho asked for yon, and whon ho found. you was out on the rivor ho just soomod bo - side himself. Wo was a looltin' out up- stairs and wo that saw the light a -com- ing up after the tide turnod, and wo screamed to him and the coachman, and Mr. Harcourt he camp upstairs like a gust o' wind. Your door stood open, and in ho rushed in a way that I thought ho'cl break ovorything." " Thero, that will do; I undorstand. You need not mend the curtain. You must bo tired after all your fright, and can rest awhile this aftornoou, as I shall." A beautiful color dawned in Alice's fade. Sho was recovering from her languor and weaknoss with marvellous rapidity. It was not strange, for no elixir was ever distilled so potent as that which now infused its subtle Spirit into heart and brain. But a fow hours ago, the wayward but good-hoartod companion of hor child- hood, the manly friend of tho prosont aucl Futuro—sho would pormit horself to think of him in no other light—soomod lost to hor for ever ; to havo had in fact no real existence; for if Harcourt had boon content to act De Forrest ;s part tho evening boforo, Alice Martell would have soon shaken off even his acgnaiut- auoo. But Do Forrost's words suggested that the Harcourt of bar dreams still ex- isted. Sho had soon another trace of manly, considerate fooling, in his thoughtfulness of tho savants' fears, and of their comfort. And now the torn contain and broken glass suggested the impetuous action of one who thought of her peril rathor than the trifles around him. Twioo now sho had boon told that Harcourt was "beside himself," and yot never had madness seemod so rational; and her oyes cdsvolt on rho quarks of his front, beforo hor with unmixed satisfac. tion. If he had boon cool then, her haat would now be cold. Sho could not rest, and at last thought that tho frosty air would cool rho foyer 1 in hor chocks, and so wrapped herself for a walk upon the broad piazza, Moro. over, she felt, as Lottio hacl, that sho would bo glad to havo no oyes, not oven hor fathers, witness thein mooting, Sho Mit that sho could act worn naturally and ooratosodl if 410110 with him and 1 Y v , ab tho samo time show tho almost sis- torly regard through which silo hopocl to win him to his botbor self. As silo paced up and down tho piazza in the oarly h r 1 y „ , o attnnt1o11 was attracted to a spot whore som0 ono, in• stead of going deliberatoly down rho stops, bad plunged off into tho ailocl-ti1.p snow, and t on, just opposito ane bayoucl the broad path woro tracks wide apart, (01 if acute ono had Imelda-it rathor than +nrrnyr:cl idle rivor Sho had. mooed her walk, and stood as ono who hint (lisoovored a treasure. Did tboso footprints and tho torn cur- tain holong togr thcr? 5110 1(111 that fb Could not be otherwise, Thom was, then, no cold-bloodod, cowardly liar• court, and traces of the real man grew ol<?arci', "13u1 how could ho roach the river in that direction without rislcinghis neck?" and sho indulged. in quite a panics as sho romembored the intorvoning stoops. She longed yet dreaded to moot trim, that sho might ask an explanation of tam traces 5110 had found; for, having dono him in- justice, elle gonerouely meant to negro him full amends, But to her groat disappondinont tho sleigh now roturneci without him. "I left tho massage, Bliss," said tho coachman, " but they told um that Mr. Harcourt had a sudden business call to New York," Aliso sought to draw Oho man out a little, and it was also hor habit to speak kindly to those in her omploy ; 5o she amid: " I fear, 13nrtis, you will bo a little jealous of Mrs, Marehmont's coachman, 1f it had not beau for trim we could not havo eseapod, I think." ',Yell, thank God, I'in not much bo- Iund him. If he stopped two funerals, I stopped ono." "Why, how is that, Burtis?" "Falx, Miss, an' do yo soo tltim tracks thoro? They go straight to tho river, and it was 11 istlier Harcourt that made thole. Ho was jist one second OD Vic way after ho saw the light, and by rhu- 010' au' rolling an' tnmblin' ho was at the boat -house iu a wink. Whou I gets there, a•pullin' an' a-blowin', he's un- locked tho door by broakin' it in, and is a haulia' at the ould boat; and because I wouldn't lona a hand in gettin' =lithe crazy old craft that wouldn't float a him• tired foot, ho swears at mo iu the most ouelristrian manner, aucl trios to get it out alone. But yo know, Miss, how he couldn't do that, and soon hegivos iOup, and falls to gnawin' his nails like ono beside himeolf, and a-mutborin' how he must either 'save her or drown with her.' Thou 110 clashed up the bank agin, and ho and his blank boss was off like a whirlwind, If the Naughty Tillus, or any othor thing as would float was here, y o'd had no need of Mrs. Marchmont's coachman, But I thought h0'd off wicl 1110 head because I wouldn't help out j wid the ould boat." Not a word or sign olid Alice place iu the way of tho man's garrulity, but rather hor breathless interest as with parted lips she bout forward oneotu'agiug him to go on. Was he not reciting an epic poem of which she was the horoino andHarcourt the horn ? The true epics of the world aro generally told in the baldost prase. " Thom was one thing I didn't like," continued tho man, gathering up his reins," and I'vo thought I ought to speak of it to yo or y 0's father. All his tails was about saviu' yerself, and not a whis- per of the ould gonblomau, who has been so lung to him all his lifo. It sounded kinder ounabtoral like." • " All night, Bnrtis, you havo douo 'roux duty in speaking to me, and so mod not say anything to Mr, Marton about it. I rathor think you havo prevented a fun - oral, and perhaps I owe yon as many thanks as Mrs. Marohmont's coachman. At any sato you will find on Christmas that you havo not boon forgotten." So the man drove to tho stable with the complacoub consciousness of having done his duty, and warned his mistress agaiusb " a very onnatteral realm"" in the young man. The moment ho disappeared around tho corner, Alioo stood undooiclod a mo- ment, like a startled deer, and thou sped down tho path to tho boathouse. Tho MOW was trampled somowhat by the big lumbering feet of the coachman, bat, had it not boon, Alia, now had wings. Tho twilight was deepening, and she could not wait till the morrow boforo fol- lowing up this trail that led to the idol of hor heart. She paused in tho winding path when half -way down tho bank, that sho might gloat over the mad plunges by which Harcourt hacl orossod it, straight to the rivor. Sho followed his stops to the brink of a precipice, and saw, with a thrill of =ogled fear aucl delight whose lie had slid and Fallon twenty feet or more. " How cruelly I have misjudged him," she thought, " Whon ho was here, eager to risk Ins life for me, my false fanny pictured him at Addio Marohmont's sido. And yob it was well I diel not know tho truth, for it would have boon much harder to havo looked (loath in the Paco so long, with this knowledge of his frioncl. ship. Hosv strangely he and Addie act whon together; but wine, that is ne affair of auino. Lot mo b0 thankful that I havo nob lost the frioncl of my child- hood." A littlo labor sho stood at the boat- house. Tho door hong by ono hinge only, and the large Mono 1av u0ar with whhah he had crashed it in. Sho mitered tho dusky place as if it were a temple. Had it not boon consecrated by a sorviao of love; by the costliest offering that can bo made—life 7 Here ho said' ho wonld save or perish with her ; hero he sought to make good his words. She pioltod up one of tho machos he had dropped, and struck it, that she might look into tho neglected boat. Novae was the utter unseaworthinoss of a craft toted svitli such satisfaction bo - fore. "While I vilely thought ho would not voaturo to or aid at all, ho strained ovory nerve to launch this old slaoll. Thanks to obstihaato Burtis, who would not hole him." Sho struck another match, that sho might look memo clo5oly; then uttored a vibtfei cry. "Merciful heaven, is this blood ou rho. rogue? 11 surely is. Now I think of it, ho hoist his right hand gloved this morn- ing, and offered his left to hfr, Hetustead in salutation. 'lathes and 1, in our and wrong, dict nob offer to taco his hand. And yob it lvotld soom that he togged With blooding hands at those robes that bo might almost the saute as throw away his lifofar as "I can erns,..•51. THE BRUSSELS PO' 1' brother could do more, Ho was braver than ibIr, lit:matoad, for he hada staunch boat and oxporionced holp, while nay old playmate was eager to go alone in this wretbhed thing that would only have lioato(' Lind out to deep water where ho would drawl), "AL, w011, lot the future bo what 1 may, olio cannot be utterly unhappy who elt bas loved sua man. If ho is willing to give los lifo up for mo, I surely eau get him to give up Iiia evil, wayward bendoncios, alul then 1 must be content." ,lo now login to rxporioueo reaction from her strong oxciteniant, and wearits rade her way back to the houso. Her father met hor at tho door and sxcicahuu!d, " Why, Alice, svltoro have you becu ? Yon look ready to sink 1" " I have beth to the boat -house, father," she replied in a low, qui0lc tone, " and 1. wish you to go thorn tomorrow, far you will tlloro loam how cruelly we have uilsjnclgccl Mr, Harcourt." nut, my child, I ain troubled about you. You needuicb and rest after all you have passer through ;" and ho hastily brought Lor a glass of wine. " I heed morn the assurance that my old. fruiad and playmate was not what we tlhotiht this morning," she said,with drooping oyes. " Well, Iny darling, wo will uiako amonds right royally. Ito will be horn to -morrow evening, and you svil1 laevo no occasion to fluclfaullwi111me. Ploaee 1alto caro of yourself. You do not rcniizo what you havo passed through, and 1 fear you aro yob to suffer the con- sequences.' But more exhilarating than the wino which her father placed to her lips was ilio nlomory of what she had seen. Ilors was ono of tltoso spiritual natures that suffer much mono through the mind than body. She encountered Igor greatest peril in 1110 fear of Harcourt's I unworthiness. Letters in the evening mail summon- ' ed her father to the city on the morrow, ' and he left her with many• injunctions to bo very quiet. It was evident that his heart and life w'er'e bound tip in hor. But as tho day grew b ht and milit she again' found her way to tho boat- house. With great accuracy she mark- ed his evcy stop from the house to the shore. Harcourt littlo thought in his wild alarm that he was leaving such mute advocabos. Poor fellow 1 he was groaningover their harsh judgauout, but vowing in his pride he would never undeceive them. He olid not remember that he had left a trail clear to the clollest eyes, and cou- clusivo as a demonstration to the un- erring instinct of a loving heart, Ho hacl gone to the city, and ac- complished his business in a mechanical svay. Ile returnod with the first train, though why ha scarcely knew. Ho felt no inclination to visit at Mrs March- monb's any more, for since ho had come more folly uuclor Miss Martell's influence, Addie had lost the slight hold sho hail upon him, and now lion manner was growing unendurable. He also felt that after Mr. Martoll's coldness ho could not visit thorn again, and he doggedly purposed to givo his whole time to his business until events rightodhim, if they ever dict. But his stoical philosophy was put to immediato rout by Mr- Martoll's mes- sage, which ho received on his return. Five minutes later he was Urging his black horse towards rho familiar placo, at a pace but a littlo more decorous than whon soaking Hemstoad's assis- tance on rho memorable evening of the accident. " Miss Martoll is out," stolidly said the woman who answered his sum- mons. As he was turning away in doep clis- appoiutment, Burris appeared ou the 810110, and with a complacent grin, re- maric0cl : " She's only clown' by the boathouse, a•sooin' how I saved you from drown - ding." Harcourt slipped a bank -note into his (land, aucl said, " There's for your good sorvicos now, if not then,' and was off for the wator's edge with as moll speed as ho Glared use before observant Oyes. They must have found out from the old coachman that I was not tho coward they doomed mo," he thought. "If so, I'll seo ho has a merry Christmas." as Ho saw Alice with her back towards 1h hien, looking out upon the rivor that now ripple and sparkled in the sun- light, as if a dark, stormy night had never brooded over an 1037, pitiless tido, Tho soft snow Muffled his stops, until at last lie said hesitatingly : " Miss Martell." Sho started violently, and trembled as if shaken by 1110 wind. "Pardon Inc," 110 said hastily. "It was very stupid iu m0 to thus startle you, but you soomod so intent upon eomothiug upon the river that I thought you would never 800 100." "I—I was not ox11ncting you," 511e faltered. " Then I havo done wrong—havo boon mistaken in coming." " Oh, no, I did not moan that. 1 thought you wore in Now York. Wo ex- pooled you this evening." " Shall I go away then, and come back this evening?" " Yos, 00m0 book this evening, but do not go now—that is, just yet. I havo smoothing to say to you. Pleas° forgive my confusion. I fear my nava havo boon shalt=n by what I have passod through." And yet snoli " waft -Won " in 0110 usually so composed did puzzle him, bub ho said hastily, fooling that it would bo bolter to brook tho leo at o11c01 "I came hero not to'fo1'givo' but to sock ,your forgivoness." ,'lou socking my forgiveness 1" silo snid in unfeigned surprise. " Yes," he replied, bumbly bowing his 011 Mod. " Beavon knows that I an wool( nod faulty though, hub when I have 1111 wronged any ono I am willing to nialto 1 '1 icnawlodgntont and reparaten. I can• fn revert, as my good angel, I ado" like a fool in 1.ha c'llapol last Monday after - 110011, auil did you groat injustice. You have ncvc"' 8110110 Oil mo' coldly and dis- tantly thea a star,' bit again and again have stooped from tho height of our. heavenly character that you night lift 1110 0111 of the intro. It's a mystery to 1110 haw you 0011 do it. Bub bo1i0v0 mm, when 1 nna myself, I am grateful; mud," ho ceihli,tucd slowly,bie square jaw growing firm and rigid, and a sombre, ro'lohito light coming into his large, Clark oyes, "if you will have ' patience with in0, I will yet do credit to the good advice written in r, schoo]•girl's hand, which I loop treasured in 11(3 r00m. Werk and foolish ao I Jhav,, boon, I should Woo been far w0,^,:0 wore it not for those !otters, and—and your kind- has' gine", Jlut I am offending pro' he said sadly, as Aliao averted hor face. '"However the futnro may soparata 1L'ir I wanted you to know that I gratefully appre0iato all thio kindness of the past. I sincerely crave our forgiveness for my folly last Monday. For some :reason I was Nob myself. I was blinded with —I said what I know to be nurse, Though you might, svitlh justice, havo shone on 010 0s 'coldly and distantly as a star,' you havo treated mo almost as a sister mig�ght. Plonso say that I am for- given, aucl I will go at onto." Imagine his surprise when, as her only response, she said abruptly Mr. Harcourt, collie with me," His weldor increased as ho saw that her oyes -wore moist with tears. She took him to the bluff, back of rho boat -house, whore in the snow were the traces of someone who had slid andfallen from a perilous height, "'What do these marks moan ?" s asked, "It didn't hurt me at all," he repli with rising color. " Did you stop to think at tho tim whether it would or not ? Have yo thought what a chain of oiroumstant evidence you have left against you that dreadful night ? Now corn with me into the boat -house, and let m toll you in the m'oantimo that a la curtain in my room is sadly torn, au one of my window panes broken." While ho yet scarcely understood h every fibre of his being was boginuing thrill with hope and gladness ; but h said deprecatingly "Please forgive my intrusion. In n haste that night 'blundered into aplac w here I had no right to be. No doub was very rough and careless, but was thinking of another kfnd of pal the pain of cold and fear—which yo wore suffering. I would gladly hav broken that Co fragments." " Oh, I am not complaining. Th abundant proof that you were not liborate dolights me. But come into th boat -house, and then we shall sco wh is tlao proper ono to ask forgivenes What is this upon these ropes, Mr. Ha court, andhow olid it Como tlloro ?" MD I tin seen ata 11 la I al asal 1 ea a a 1111) le alai annsaire eai la as PA 11 But 11e, only too grateful, filled out tho soutane° for her, and in a deep, thrilling tone ausworod "Ancd if my love for you 18 warmer ! thou a brother's---Inorc full of 1110 chop, absorbing passion that comes to us but once, I will try to school it into patience, and livo worthily of wy love for her tv110 ! inspired it." Again she gave Win a quick look of startled surpriSo, and said hastily "You forgot yourself, sir, 511011 lan- guage belongs to another." "To another?" "Yes, to Miss Marclmlont." " Miss 1llarchmont eau claim nothing from mc, save a slight Cuu:,mly rogcivl.' "Itis repor•tedtlhatyou aro cn- agerl." "It is false," he said passiauatuly. " Itis true, that before you returned, and I was reckless because 1 b"lioved you despised me, I trilled away mora Limo there than 14110u1d. But Miss Marehmont, in reality, is as 110111 crcut toward Inc as 1 toward her. 1 an, Leonel to her by even a gossamr:r thread," Alice turned away her face, and was apoechless. "And slid you think," ho asked ret,• l,rr onhfully, " that I could love hor tater knowing yon?" " Los'c is blind," sho faltered nfle a moment, "' and is oftcm guilty of strange freaks. It Hoes not weigh and 0842 - mate," But my love for you is all that tlloro is good 10 me. My love is the molt rational thing of my lifo." Sho withdrew her hand from his, aa11 snatching thio ropo that was stained with blood, sho kissed it and sad: " So is mine." Ito " Oh, Alice, what do you mean ?" and ed h0 trembled as violently as sho hacl clone when lie startled her on tho beach. She shyly lifted her blue oyes to his O and said: 11 "Foolish Tom, surc'y your love is dal blind." on Then to Harcourt the door of heaven O opened. O When Mr. Martell rotorned, he saw ce by thefiro-light in his dusky study, that d his daughter had oracle such ample amends that but little was left for him or, to do ; but the did that right heartily, to Then the Christian man said, "Alice, 0 compare this with tho shadow of the Storm King,' and the grinding ice. ty Let us thank God.' e Sho gently replied, ' I have, father." ! "Bub I havo more reason to thank I Him than either of you," said Harcourt, u— brokenly, "for had you perished I u should have been lost, body and soul." e " Then servo Him faithfully, my son —serve hiin as my old friend your o father did." de- " With His help I will." 0 0 5. r - "Oh, that isnothin�,; I only bruised any hand a little breaking in the door." " Is it nothing that you tugged with bleeding hands at those ropes, that yon might go along in this wretched shell of a boat to our aid ? Why, Mr. Harcourt, it would not have floated you a hundred yards, and Burris told you so, Was it mere vaporing when you said, ' If 'can- not save them, I eau at least chow with thorn' ?" " No," he said impetuously, the bloo growing dark in his face, " it was no vaporing. Can you believe mo capabl of hollow acting on tb0 ore, as I Maroc of the most awful tragedy that eve threatoned 7" " Oh, not the' most awful.' " sire " The most awful to me." "" No, I cannot. As I said before, have too ranch circumstantial ovidonc against you. IlIr. Harcourt, true josbic looks at film intent of the heart. Yo unconsciously loft abundant proof her of what you intended, and I feel that owe my lifo to you as truly as to Mr Homstsael. And yet I was so cruelly CHAPTER XXIX. II1s1ISTEAL'S ADVICE, AND LOTTIE'S COLORS. Soou after the doparttro of Mr. Mar. tell and his daughter, Homstead plead- ed headache, and retired to his room. Lottie, to escape De Forrest, had also gond to hers, but soon after, at hor brothor's solicitation, had accompanied him to a neighboring pond to make sure that the eco was safe for him. But n , though sho yioldecd to Dan's teasing, hor compliance was so ungracious, and d her manner so short and unamiable, t ' that with a boy's franknoss ho had said: 0 I "What is the matter with you, Lot- ',tio ? You aro not a bit like Aunty Jane r 1 to -clay. I wish you could stay ono thing two days togothor." As may bo imagined, these remarks I I did not conduce to Lottio's sereneness. 0 , Sho olid not understand herself ; nor molly she folt so misorablo and out of usorts. She had fallen into the '" slough of despond," and was exporienoing that depression which usually follows over- wrought emotional states, and — hor , knight had clisappoiutecl her. unjust yesterday morning as to trea you coldly, b0cange I thought my of friend and playmate had let stranger go to our help. With far bottor reaso I wish to ask your forgive—" " No, no," said Harcourt oagorly " circumstances appeared against m t 1 having learned that the ice was firm, d and assisted her little brother iu putting s on his skates, instead of returning at u oueo to thio house, she sat down in a littlo screening clump of hemlocks, null gavo way to her feelings iu a manner e not uncommon with girls of hor mer - that evening, and you only judgo a curial temperament. aburally. You have no forgiveness t k, for you havo made amends ousand fold. in this, your genoroo acknowledgment. And yet, Miss Mor toll, you svttil never know liosv hard 1 was that I could not go to your roson that night. I never came so hoar curs Mg my destiny boforo." " I cannot undorstaud it," said Alio in a low tong, turning away her faeo. . "It's all painfully plain to mo," h said with a spino of bitterness. "" Mis Maxtell, I am as „grateful to Homstea as you aro, for when ho saved you, h also saved mo. If you had perished foil; that I should have taken the cotuso of an ancient fool, svho said, Corso Go and. die.' " Sho gave him a quick look of surpris but said only, "That would be folly in dood." Ho took her hand, and earnestly, in deed almost passionately continued "Miss Alice, I pray you teach me how to boa truo man. Have potionoo with mo, and I will try to bo worthy of your °steam: 'Yon havo made me loathe my old, vile self. You havo made tree manhood scorn so noble and attractive that I am willing to make 0very effort. and suffer any pain—oven that of seeing you shino t1po1) 1)10 fu tho unapproaoh- able distance of a star. Atoka 1110 fool that you do °aro What I b,00me. Spook to m° sotuotinnos as yea did tho other ovoning among rho flowers. Givo 1110 tho samo adv100 that I find in tho old yellow 'otters Which havo boon my Bible, and beliovo uzo, you will not regret it." Alico's hand trembled as 110 held ib in both of his as a frightened bird might, 1 sho faltered: ' I nova hall a brother, but 150areely nlc I could fool towards ono different- y—", and thou 1110 truthful girl stopped painful confusion. Ifor lovo for liar. tttt was not sisterly at all, and how o Now it so happened that Hemstead, a gazing listlessly from .his window, saw s thein: departure, and soon afterwards it - occurred to him that the fresh air would 1 do his headache more good than moping o in his room. By a nob unuathral coin- - ammo, his stops tondod in the same direction as thous, and soon Lo found o Dan sprawling about the pouch in great gloo over his partial success in skating ; o I but Lotto was now'horo to be seen. But s a sound from bho clump of evergreens d soon gaiuocl his attention, and a mo- o moat labor ho stood at the entrance of I her wintry bower, tho vory. embodiment 1 i of sympathy, and wondering greatly at d I her distress. A stick snapped under his tread, and 1 0 � Lotto looked up, hastily dashing the • tears right and loft. "What did you Como for 2" she asked • brusquely. • " Well, I suppose I must say iu truth —1 wanted to. I hope you wont send mo away." " You ought to have given mo a little warning, and not caught mo crying like a groat baby as I am." "I wish 1 were your friend," ho said hmnbly. "Why so 7" "Bocauso you would then toll me your troubio, and lot mo try to comfort y015," r I haven't any trouble worth naming. I've just boon Drying lila a foolish child bocauso I svgs out of sorts. Thorn, don't look at mo so wits your great, kind eyes, or I shall cry again, aid I ionoshanecl of myself now." " Something is troubling you, Miss j Marsdma, and I shall be very unhappy if you send m0 away without lottbag Inc help you." "You would drink 1410 a fool if I told you," sho faIterod. "No ono will aver charge you with n'st toll you how eager 1 havo boon to °o old alio say that it WW1 2 s,' • " srknuwledgttu"1t to ,you, whom I r a Ito an coir;trot',] e+ 0 0 '0qT(IOSOLTIS iztt 0 CD 0 00 00