gone from them. Weeds grew in the roadway between the lilacs, dandelions flaunted themselves over the grass-plots; the shutters of the porch side of the hou

nvenient to the great city, even his visits ceased. Captain Holt never darkened the door; nor did he ever willingly stop to talk to Martha when he met her on the road. She felt the slight, and avoided him when she could. This resulted in their seldom speaking to each other, and then only in the most casual way. She

twisted about his heart, cutting off all his sustenance and strength. The inconsistencies of her conduct especially troubled him. If she loved him-and she had told him that she did, and with their cheeks touching-how could she leave him in order to indulge a mere whim of her sister's? And if she loved him well enough to tell him so, why had she refused to pligh

nquestioned love for himself-rose clear. No, he would believe in her to the end! She was still all he had in life. If she would not be his wife she should be his friend. That happiness was worth all el

ad watched him closely through his varying moods, but though s

tor loved the patient caretaker, both for her loyalty and for her gentleness. And she loved him in return; clinging to him as an older woman clings to a strong man, following his advice (he never gave orders) to the minutest detail when something in the management or care of house or grounds exceeded her grasp. Consulting him, too, and this at Jane's special request-regarding any

nd wearing had the routes become-often beyond Barnegat and as far as Westfield-that the sorrel gave out, and he was obliged to add another horse to his stable. His patients sa

looking down into his sleepy eyes-she cuddled him more than ev

end at the same time, giving the address of the two girls, but the physician had answered that he had called at the street and number, but no one knew of them. The doctor reported this to Jane in his next letter, asking her to write to his friend so that he might know of their whereabouts should they need his services, for which Jane, in a subsequent letter, thanked him, but made no mention of sending to his friend

ubled face. "Her heart is all right; she's goin' through deep waters, bein' away from everybody

octor a letter in which Jane wrote: "He MUST NOT stop writing to me; his letters are all the comfort I have"-a line no

ng to him. "I am constantly moving about," the letter ran, "and have much to do and cannot always answer your letters, so please

ve was spoken on her side; nor was any reference made to their last interview. But this fact did not cool the warmth of his affection nor weaken his faith. She had told him she loved

sh filling the tea-cups, the spring sunshine lighting up the snow-white cloth and polished silver, the mail

nts. It had been his habit to turn to the bottom of the last page before he read the preceding ones, so that he might see the signature and note the final words of affection or friend

urst of joy. Then with a supreme effort he regained his self-control and read the letter to the end. (He rarely mentioned J

contents of her own envelope broke

uried here and how hard you worked and how anxious I was that you should leave Barnegat, and he promised to write to me, and he has. Here's his letter. He says he is getting too old to continue his practice alone, that his assistan

inued; "I attended his lectures before I went abroad. Lives in a musty old house on Chestnut Street, stuffed full of family portraits and old mahogany furniture, and not a comfortable chair or sofa in the place; wears yellow Nankeen waist-coats, takes snuff, and carries a fob. Oh, yes, same old fellow. Very

nto it?" she argued, eyeing him through her gold-rimmed glasses. "Go and s

and his wants. Write him that I am most grateful, but that the fact is I need an assistant myself, and if he will be good enough to send someone down here, I'll keep him b

ected just such a refusal Nothing that she ev

asked, with s

ut finished, and I am go

it?" she continued,

can. It's not, that kind of a hosp

y and the Branscombs, and everybody else up and down the shore, a

no one to blame but yourself, old lady," and with a laugh he rose from

e sleeve of his coat to detain him the longer, "just think of this letter of Pencoyd's; nothing has ever bee

, as he would have done to a child, and said with a

y best people in three counties on my list

She was softening un

he transportation of the cities of Warehold and Barnegat; and the Right Hon

son was in one of these moods it wa

erful Mrs. Ma

name had an aristocratic sou

is

ful Mrs. Malmsley?" inquired th

ver heard

woman, she hasn't been out of bed for year

tcher's

t delightful old person, who has brought u

ld on the doctor's sleeve an

ncoyd?" she asked in a disheartened

ndly, but I couldn't leave Barnegat; not

in the hospital. She wanted to turn nurse the last time I talked to her." This s

ted up his whole face; "only it will not be a y

looked at her son in astonishment. The

next steamer!

held up t

ed. "She is going to Germa

is coming

son of a friend, she writes. She asks that I

of the streets. She is always doing these

e with you that it was helpless, o

Lucy come

shrugged hi

u will go to the

the air of an officer saluting his superior-really to hide

th a tone of mild reproof in his voice: "What a funny, queer old mother you are! Always worrying yourself over the unimportan

herself in a bitter tone. "I knew he had received some word from her, I s