e illimitable horizon beyond the mountain peaks were straying gleams

t clattered with every passing breeze. A maple bough, tapping on her wind

quality, though it was still cool. Hints of warmth and fragrance were indefinably blended with the cold, and Rose laughed as she

ke mother-of-pearl. Warm and soft from the Southland, the first wind of Spring danced merrily into Madame Francesca's sleeping garden, thrilling all the life beneath the sod. Wit

g us has not been made desolate beyond all words upon some golden day when the little creatures of the air and meadow were life incarnate, from sheer joy of living?

roses and Easter rise upon us in a December night. How shall we know, in our own agony, of another's gladnes

or else when memory, divinely tender, brings back a vivid, scarlet hour out of grey, forg

ng snow, went a flash of blue wings, and in Madame Francesca's own garden

ve; her heart was strangely lifted, as though by imprisoned wings. She had no doubt of the ultimate hour

f the early breakfast, when the family, cold, but clean, gathers itself around the board which only last night was festive and strives

in white linen and have her coffee in the dining-room at seven, she was at liberty to do so. If she wanted it in her own room, at ten, that also w

own-stairs. She smiled whimsically as the heavy front door slammed behind her, won

when she brushed aside the snow, Rose found a blushing hepatica in full bloom. "How indiscreet

er on the lower bough of a tree if she turned, or came too near. "Don't be afraid," she called, aloud, then laughed, as

aving the gate open, and turned toward the woods, where a flock of wild geese, breasting

l. It was answered by another, exactly upon the same notes, yet wholly different as to quality. Presently, among the trees, she caught

alled, clear

t in hand. "Upon my word," he said. "I didn't think the

pring! Didn

is morning just

you

were

answered. "I co

cou

r's at t

's at t

g's at

side's de

You know the r

orning waits at the end of t

thed, her eyes fixe

t time I saw it, ice and sno

"I don't believe I fooled that robin by whistling to him," Allison contin

rning. I spoke to him most pleasantly and told him not to be afr

eside her and assisted her over a fallen t

e is," laughed Rose. "Ever

had your b

have

rybody was asleep

breakfast with me,

smiled, "for t

miss you?" she queried,

, and I think that's one reason why we get on so well

ing with mirth, a scarlet signal burned on either cheek, and her pa

you seem to get p

were younger, I might ev

os

high colour faded from her face

nd stopped. "Rose, please don't.

nt to lean upon the knife that stabs them and she was

urts me, someway, to have you ta

he answered, quietly, "hereafter I'm thirty, also. Thanking

back the light in a thousand little dancing gleams. The ice was broken, the snow was gone, and fragm

look deep,"

drowned myself here when I was a

d. What a heavy blow it wou

id Allison, gently

ll he

complained, looking at his

my skirts are wet,

wo, then excused herself to put on dry clothing. Allison waited before the open fire

t, fluffy things in the morning,

e fluffy on

tance, are th

for one and Isab

the kid goi

ready to go ho

t she had

abel is a martyr to

w s

no time for trifles like a daughter. She devotes h

stranded, on a

xcept f

he exclaimed, with

ushing slightly. "I had nothing to do with

el emanc

sense that h

e but what

y as she pleases and there

l women did a

you make a sacrifice, you do it because you can get m

en reading

uilty," sh

t on, after a moment's

st be an unholy joy t

ne lump, or two?" she asked,

, pl

ee. There was an air of cosiness and domestic peace about it hitherto outside his experience. For the first time

he took the steaming cup.

ve you," she ret

kfast together at some fixe

hoose, at any hour before noon, all the year round. Sometimes we're all together, sometimes

there'd always be somebody to bear me company. Perhaps I'

nd she, across from him, faced it squarely. For the merest fraction of a second Isabel, in a pink silk negligee, stood in the doo

ur the coffee and Aunt Francesca always lets me

consciousness- there seemed to be two of her. One was the woman of the world, well- schooled in self-control, tactful, watchful, ready to smooth any awkwardness, and, at every point, to guard h

k upon a difficult concerto. "We'll do it again," he said, laughing, as he went down the ste

stood pensively in the hall for a moment or two after she had closed the door, and w

e linen collar and a dashing crimson tie. Rose strolled into th

e to breakfast," remark

just as well, as

went out for an early walk, chanced to meet Mr.

ere in the habit of

the habit," answered Ro

they're all equally pleasant." She slammed the d

aughed quietly until the tears came. There was no need now to meditate upon

st table, and remembered, with regret, that they had discussed Isabel quite freely. The thought that Isabel might

perfect hour that nothing could ever change or spoil. She went into the hall by another door

r's at t

's at t

ning's

ide's dew

k's on

l's on t

in His

ht with t