garden and joined the ladies. The conversation was chiefly on the event of the evening, and Newton talked of the little girl, as he called her, at the Mill, and praised her beauty.

'We shall know what you are after, when you go and see old Mässinger,' said Stanley.

Newton laughed and muttered something about being safe enough. He could not resist casting a glance at Nesta; he wanted to see if there was any look or expression to show that she understood what he meant. But he was disappointed; Nesta was romping with the little ones on the lawn, and, near as she was, she had either not heard the remark or she had paid no attention to it.

Dick meanwhile was playing on the grass with Alice, who was trying in vain to imitate some of his wonderful feats. It was no good; Dick was her superior, and he lost no opportunity of asserting it.

'You don't know a secret that I do,' he whispered; it's about Aunt Nesta.'

Alice was immediately submissive; the bait of a secret was alluring.

'You must promise never, never to say it,

if I tell you.'

'I promise,' said Alice, humbly.

'Well, then, when I was at the Mill this morning with Mr. Newton, he and old Mässinger drank Aunt Nesta's health.'

6 Is that all ?' said Alice.

'No, a great deal more, only you won't understand. I don't know how to explain it to you, you see; but you know if Aunt Nesta married Mr. Newton, he would be our uncle; wouldn't that be jolly? But you mustn't say I told you; it's a secret, and you mustn't tell anyone."

6

But is Aunt Nesta going to marry Mr. Newton?' asked Alice, rather bewildered.

'I said you wouldn't understand,' returned Dick; I knew you wouldn't. Please don't say anything about it, for it's a secret, and it would get me into dreadful trouble to have told you.'

Alice did not feel the importance of the

secret to the same extent that Dick did; and when her father came up and asked what treason the little wise-heads were plotting, she would probably have blundered out something very near the truth, but for Dick's imploring look.

'But it had to do with you, Tante Nesta!' he said, as he ran up to her and bade her good night.

The next morning, Newton, according to his custom, was out early. The woods were very beautiful at this season of the year, and he generally managed a stroll in them before breakfast. When Dick could coax Babette to be quick over his toilette, he went also; but these were rare occasions, for Babette's code of rules was strict, and having received no orders respecting the morning walk, she was inclined to think that Master Dick might sometimes be in the way. I am not sure that Newton would not have agreed with her; he enjoyed his cigar in the woods by himself, and was not always inclined for childish chatter. On this one occasion he

certainly could have had no wish for Dick's society, for just as he reached a turn in the woody path, where the green ring of ferns points out a descent to the Mill, he saw a figure climbing the hill and suddenly within a few paces of him. He had so little ex pected to find Nesta here, that the meeting almost embarrassed him. She had a basket on one arm, and she had taken off her broad-brimmed hat and had slung it over the other as if to enjoy to the utmost the soft autumn air as it blew among the branches.

I have been down to Mässinger's for some butter,' she said, as she came up to him; we have a sick cow, and there was no alternative but a walk to the mill or dry bread for breakfast,'

'But was it necessary to go yourself?'

'I am selfish,' said Nesta; 'the walk was a pleasure to me in the early morning, and I would not have missed it for anything. There is something indescribably beautiful in these woods; they seem like some great

silent temple before the worry and care of

the day begins.'

'Do you often come?'

'Never, but on rare occasions like this.'
'And yet you like it?'

'Do we not like much that we forego?' 'I am not conscious of doing so, or at any rate of doing so willingly.'

'Are you not?' she said; 'I almost think it is good for us to have to battle with our inclinations.'

She was treading on dangerous ground; how could Newton assent, when he was at that very moment longing and yearning to have his own gratified? In small daily duties,' he said, 'perhaps it may be so; I don't know, I have never tried it. It seems to me that if I could have the one good I ask and pray for, all the rest would be easy and indifferent to me.'

6

She appeared to know what he meant, for she went on: But if that one good cannot yours, is it. not rebellion to pray that it may be granted you?'

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