A Day of Fate

on my mind. As I sat there in the beautiful June dawn I turned a page in my history. The record of future joys and ills would have to be kept in double entry, for I felt with absolute convict

geness and remoteness that we justly associate with a comparative stranger, had utterly passed away, and in their place was a feeling of absolute tru

ful mystery, over which I c

ng," I murmured, "bows down to her by a constraint that I could scarcely resist, and no queen in the despotic past ever had a more loyal subject than I have become. To serve her, even to suffer for her and to stand between her and all evils the world could inflict, are privileges that I covet supremely. My regard is not a sudden passion, for passion is self

ngth the door of Mrs. Yocomb's room opened, and steps were on the stairs.

quiry. "Yes; all danger in Zillah's case is now passed, I th

ested Miss Warren. "We can make you comfortable here,

he fresh air. I'll call again before very long. Good-day!" and he w

ton?" Miss Warren asked, assuming

ng to

haven't done Zill

ou know I

ou don't think tha

ould have blown the great tin horn if it had been necessary t

ence to you, I'll merely say I'm a ni

e," she answered. "You ought to have kno

ok white as a ghost in this mingling of m

est a tired body counts for littl

I replied: "No, I would like

f the dawn that tinged the pallor

pparently dismissed a thought, an

imed, coming out on the piazza. "To think that this is the

," I said, "and clearer skies and bette

red. "This morning is like a benediction;" and

hat was open to last night's sky. The father and mother robins are well, and I'm sure all the little ones are too, fo

peated, and there was a joyous,

e top of the pear-tree in the garden, and we saw

musically my compani

the day of f

he moment seemed irresistible, I

as, whether for a lifetime of

then a strong expression of pain passed over her face. She understood m

her hand as s

m all that's happened; let us both for

vividly and distinctly as I saw you in the lightning's gleam last night. Please hear and understand me," I urged, as she tried to check my words by a strong gesture of dissent. "If you had parents or guardians

e said, and there was deep distress in her tones;

. She looked at me hesitatingly

elongs to another. There," she added, flushing deeply, "I've

in truth she belonged to another, her absolute truth would make her so loyal to him that

when it was no use. It was as inevitable as our meeting. The world and all that's in it is an awful muddle to me. But God bless you, and if there's

rom the strange experiences you have just passed through. Do not add to your exhaustion by starting off on another aimless walk to-day; though you may think it might lea

y matter-of-fact, indeed, since I already foresee that I shall be troubled by no more days of fate

aid gently: "Mr. Morton, I believe

ld be happiness enough. I'll make it

," she said, in strong emphasis; and with a lingering wist

ld a ship that had lef

he would," I thought. "It's all over.

y disappointment. Indeed there was nothing else to do, for seemingly I had set my heart on the impossible. Her words

nd these birds! What makes them sing so? Nature's a heartless jade anyway. Last night she would have burned us up with lightning, and this morning there would have been not a whit less of song and sunshine. Oh, well, it's far better that my hopes are in ashes than that this house should be. I, and all there is of me, is a small price to pay for this home and its inmates; and if I saved her little finger from being scorched, I should be well content. But why the devil did I feel so toward her when it was of no use! That fact irritates me. Is my whole nature a lie, and are its deepest intuitions and most sacred impulses false guides that lead one out into

him! no, bless him, if she marries him-for she's the last one in the world to enter into m

he devil's

ed in beauty and the glad, exuberant life that follows a summer rain. I once heard a preacher say that hell could

as aroused by a step upon the gravel-path, and, starting up, saw the woman who served Mrs. Yocomb in the domestic labors of

hance to prove yourself a good woman, and a very helpful and con

ith her hands on her hips, and stared at me again, with her

better and sleeping, so please keep the house quiet, and let us sleep till the doctor comes agai

y emphatically, and scuttled off to he

ouse into the hands of one accustomed to its care. Therefore I wearily

, had been on the watch for the coming of the domestic, and, if aware that I had seen the woman, did not

yer's all had! The strange man told me.

from Miss Warren she cont

ruck of a heap himself. Is that the way lightning 'fects folks? He looked white as a ghost, and as if

gave a few brief directions, and then

and unlooked-for words, and yet she keeps up till all need is past. Every little act shows that I might as well try to win an angel of heave

or hateful dreams I do not remember. At

The sun was low in the west, thus proving that my unrefreshing stupor had lasted many hours. The clatter of knives, and forks indicated preparations for supper in the dining-room below. I dreaded meeting the family and all words of thanks, as one would the touching of a diseased nerve. More than all, I dreaded meeting Mi

ly, and I saw Reuben

way. Thee doesn't look very extra, and no wonder, thee did so much. Father, mother, and Emily Warren have been talking about thee for the last two hours, and Adah can't ask questions enough about thee, and how thee found her. She says the last thing she s

ood, brave fellow. I'll come down to supper as soon, as I can fairly wake up. I fee

lace for me. Miss Warren thinks that a little sleep will cure me, and that I will be sane and sensible now that I am awake. She will find me matter-of-fact indeed, for

in, and made as careful a toil

sat at her piano playing softly; but as Mr. Yocomb rose to greet me she turned toward us, and through the open window could see us and hear all that passed. The

y this home is as truly thine as mine. Thee saved mother and

that she was "moved" now if ever, for her fa

as I: thank him. Any tramp from New York would try to do as much as I did, and might have done better. Ah, here is Zillah!" And I saw that the little girl was propped up on pillows just within the par

have been no better antidote for my mood of irritable protest against my fate

I'm overpaid." Raising my eyes, I met th

"after that I should think yo

o be," I replied, lo

rren continued. "She knows that y

, Zillah, and they were

and pulled me down. "M

er what mother said," and

ren," said the little girl reproachfully. "I

oung lady, but she had turned to the piano, an

t when people have been struck by lightning they o

times happens without

ded, without

thee can never be a stranger in t

ours after your kindness would still be my pleasantest thought. But you overrate what I have done: it was such obvious duty that any one would have d

window, "that Mr. Morton is versed in tragedies,

ubt seemed quite as lurid as the events themselves, sugg

as bad to tell fibs about one

ntinuous revelation to you

I see you make no secret of it,"

een conscious all the time of her rather peculiar and fixed scrutiny,

n the farm were a bank-note. But I love the people who live here far more. Richard Morton, I know how it would all have ended, and thee knows. The house was on fire, and all within it were helpless and unconscious. I've seen it all to-day, and Reuben has told us. May the Lord bless thee for what them has

escaping it. Forgive me, Mr. Yocomb, for laughing over so serious a subject, but Reuben and Mr. Morton amuse me greatly. Mr. Morton already says that an

rton," said Reuben a little indignantly; "thee

uickly now but that I saw her face

o one knows better than Miss Warr

ot keep a debit and credit account with each other. I shall not forget, however, tha

think any one heard her words except

nd laid upon my arm caused me to look around, and I met Ada

an I do," she said gravely. "I wi

o me now?-you always sai

n't say 'you' to thee any more," and

nd I trust that life will henceforth seem to Adah a more sacred thing, and wo

her, and Reuben we

the most beautiful woman in the world," I said frankly, for

color deepened as she sho

Warren than any other

ht she had not fully recovered from the effects

d children to turn noise into music

mark, but, with the same in

one I saw when I c

u were much

mother's right, and I'

. I was a stranger, and a hard-looking c

dn't look ve

utiful piece of marble th

dn't have

you knew how anxious

strong disgust, "I might have been a horrid,

w a couple of pails of water on the

over her brow, and

so strangely. It seems

very severe sh

ut it's so strange that

rat, and had a black mark across my no

de any difference; thee w

didn't

't got anything clear. But I know this much, in spite of what Reuben said," she added impulsivel

, "she hasn't recovered

hands during the interview, and s

ter with thee,

one. Good-by." I had scarcely left the pi

hee must be famish