for thee, wil

o me? Shall

blessing and t

rett Br

very gay and fashionable-looking woman of between forty and fifty year

must pay some calls th

spring flowers; she was bending over them and with deft fingers arranging the blossoms and making certain small alte

ndsome head and glancing back at her parent.

o unpleasant going about with people who are only ju

oming bonnet, and my prettiest costume, and I'll sit in the carriage by your side, and enter the houses of those friends who happen to be at home, and I'll smile and look agreeable, and people will say, 'What an amiable woman Miss Anstru

and gazed in some disc

ed. If you will give me my visiting-book I can soon tell you the places where we ought to go. And oh,

tyns are in town?" said Mildred, turning

d she gave me Hilda's address. She seems to have gone to live in a very poky place.

nice," said Mildred with enthusiasm. "We might go

e' begins quite early. I sh

calls and let me go and see Hilda. I have a good deal I want to ta

Anstruther with a laugh. "What can

hing as dying of heart-hunger. If ever a child suffered from that old

ty, old Aunt Marjorie manages to keep everything going in really respectable style. The child has a loving father, a de

e said, giving her foot an impatient tap, "I should like to see Hilda. I should like to have a long talk with her. I have heard nothing about

ged somewhat unwillingly to submit to this arrangement; and Mildred, charmingly dressed and looking young

g secured Jasper Quentyns, but, thank goodness, I have quite got over the assaults of the green-eyed monster now. Ah, here we are. What a queer little s

l. In a moment a neatly-dressed but very you

ome," she said, and Mildred

decorated with good taste. The furniture was new, as well as pretty. One beautiful photogravure from Burne Jones' "Wheel of Fortune" was hung over the mantelpiece. Hilda and

in that Love has not yet flown out of the window. I am quite sure, too, of another thing, that even if Poverty does come in at this door, Love will remain. Oh,

g, with roses on her cheeks and words of delig

she exclaimed. "I was just wonderin

time that you were in London. I ate my lunch and ordered the victoria, and put on my prettiest bonnet and drove over to

ad to see you

ow, your Jasper takes the weight of everything, and you live in perpetual sunshine. Is the state of bliss as blissful as we

him. Now let me show you my house. Isn't it a sweet little home? Wasn't it good of Jasper to come here? He wanted a flat, but when he saw that my heart was set on a

Mildred; "I am going to stay a long

emain to dinner. I will telegrap

this evening, and even if I had I should be disposed to break them. It is not

ing at us. Now you shall see the house, and then we'll have

bode. There was only one story, and the be

re-room (we have not furnished it yet, but Jasper says we can't afford to have many visitors, so I'm not making any special haste). And this is our servants'-room; I did not think when we lived at Little Staunton that two servants could fi

w herself back into the easiest of the easy-chairs as she spoke, and toasted her f

you left home-when d

and I spent the greater part o

? Is it awfu

d not notice any. Aunt Marjorie has got quite a new wrinkle between her brows, and she complains a great deal of the young cook, but my private

patiently, "poor dear Aunt Maggie; and

eamed at me with kindness. He never spoke once about the change in his

mons were always beautiful. How I s

y soon; they're all expectin

of a cloud flitted

so busy,"

m quite convinced you woul

n to the Rectory for a flying visit soon, but he is so busy just at present th

lap. The kitten squalled frightfully, and Babs kept on calling it 'poor, pretty darling.' I thought

unt Marjorie has said nothing about her health lately. Has she qu

in the ingle-nook

dy does not like reading. Was the day

was shining a

ring and running all the t

little hack, and Aunt Marjorie th

is not q

your husband won't spare you to go down to the Rectory, why don't you have that child h

won't go in debt for even a shilling's-worth. He has spent all his available money on the house furnishing, and

Mildred, "and put it up in that room, and send for t

ooks really ill,

ering in a child's eyes. When I got a peep into Judy's eyes I could see that her soul was droo

hat is

ilda. Never mind whether the s

e, which had been full of smiles and dimples, was n

resolute?" asked M

am not quite my own mis

om with a letter on a litt

ed. "Perhaps she's much better alread

l like to know how the dear

taking out a tiny pink sheet,

ear H

hope you don't. I think of you and never forget you. I give you a kiss for now and

r lo

ud

re my k

crosses and rou

s both. 'The Lord wac

ud

filled with

I think a scrawl from Aunt Marjorie. I had a volume from he

rling

ttle doctors know, for I never saw the child sweeter, or more gentle, or more easily amused. You know what a troublesome little creature she used to be, always flashing about and upsetting things, and bringing all kinds of obnoxious insects into the house; but she has been just like a lamb since your wedding, sitting contentedly by my side, looking over her fairy story-books, and assuring me she wasn't fretting in the least abou

affect

Marj

s, "I knew how it would be. I married Jasper to please myself, and I have kil

Marjorie's lette

glanced rapidly over the o

which was her life. Go back to her; go back at once, and she will revive. Come, there is not a moment to be lost. I'll run

n the wagon in the dini

me-table in a moment. Her face was white; her hand

't another until seven. Never mind, say you will take that one. You'll arrive at Bickley at twenty minutes to ten, and soon aft

, filled in a telegraph-form, a

exclaimed. "Put your name

s, which were still b

o. Take it at once, this moment, before

me at ten to-night." Hilda added her nam

leave things in order for your Jasper. Good-by, dear. Of course, you could not think of changing

ria and desired her coachman to dri

his shining face above the horizon. Doubtless he will never come; but better that than to think he has arrived and wake to