UNKNOWN

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4978, 30 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

UNKNOWN

I. 'flu- tinsel kissed Urn liwilh'T ou Urn brown hug anil .u,-L A aflame. Giory ol pink si n< r* ]>tir t>! blazed on I lie hills where th- Ion;' sfmf.s of fight fell radiantly, and (leu n in i d- ho.lows where tho MuuhnvK !..v a bluish mist spread 111;-) haze id »i: August. twilight. 'Jin.- bills wore u-nb'-r in the distance. There ■-vas v.i/ ,-ound in that great quiuLiid.'i have tin) murmur iff tho far-otf sea and lb<) ijruvi'sy whir of birds a-wing. tv boy anil -ill Mil among the heather, blob Oj), -..b0r0 til' .am amt tin- south v. ,'i'ib hio,.- a i lioii.-ar.d odours irom bud and b iff. A short way off a toddling child played with tho wild flowers and

Vie; girl ii.!'; scarcely sixteen, tin; boy ui.oiK, ii year oluer. ilo iutd » mop of b.;d!, h.iur ('■.sandy,” tbo people called Ri. all rough ami rugged, and turbuisiiL, like too soul that lay bi-hiud lbs wide, grey eyes. His features were boldly out, almost to harshness; the brow was lull of promise, the mouth just a trifle weak, but persuasive, sweet and sareaslio then as wbeu i)i later years it droppedfiioney and gall for tbo funilimc, !iowning, admiring little world around him.

Garrett Conloa saw those future days in dreams, and ho told the strange thoughts that were in Jus heart to Mary Ellen. The girl listened with a wonder that was partly fear. She saw only tho coarse, homespun clothes and tho boy who wore them, different from other boys, perhaps, in a queer, puzzling way, but still a peasant, as they were, born to tbo same heritage of toil. Mary Kllen had not tho gifts of ideality. Tho humdrum, practical side of li£o had forced itsolf upon her too soon. Aa a young child sho had gone out to field-labour when tbo father died, and tho sickly stepmother and her infant were left in pitiful plight, Tho fireside legends that were hoary as tho bills, tho tales of fay and goblin, of singing stars and wandering sprites, wore not for her. Sho used to corao homo, cab her frugal supper, and fall heavily asleep, too weary to ho interested.

And this may bet why Mary ElWu grew ttp with tho old, wise look in her eyes, and why sho found it hard to follow Garrott in hia wild flights of fancy. Sho tried simply to plcaso him, hub her thoughts got lost in a maze. Garrott seldom noticed. Ho wanted a listener, and if her oyos watched him with dog-liko fidelity, and her silence soomed to hang npon his words, ho was often blind to tho utter blankness of her face. They were swoothearts, ho always said, and he said it so confidently that Mary Elion accepted tho fact, and blushed over it publicly when, tho lads and lasses twitted her in rough fun. Sooretly sho smiled. ■ Her heart was a hidden nest wheroin a little bird sang all clay long, anti its song was one that 'the dullest of dull intellects could understand. Sho was nico-loofldng or Garrett would not have chosen her for such high honour. As a child Mary Ellen had the prettiness of a hedge roso, bub outdoor work and tho old head on young shoulders are not aids to beauty. She was still attractive in a .pale, colourless fashion, but the dainty grace and bloom were gone. A wild roso is a delicate, ephemeral thing, and one must not handle it too rudely.

“I’m glad this is a holiday or -wo shouldn't havo tho chance to sit hero, talking and doing nothing,” Garrett said, after a rapturous contemplation of the sunset. “How is it I can’t get a word with you any other time. Ellie?”

‘■l’m busy. The mother is dawny, au’ woo Sadie needs mindin’ ” glancing across at her lively charge. “She’s gettiu’ that strong ou her legs, an’ that quick, the mother can’t be , for over watcliin’ her.” “But Brian Shea is boasting of the long chats be lifts with you. What docs that mean?” “Ho does hs werkin’ alongside me , down at Cassidy’s,” was her shy reply. “Yon'ro a slave,” muttered Garrett, bringing his brows down darkly. “No, indeed,” laughed Mary Ellen. “The work, has to bo done, an’ ’tis well I’m able to do it.” Her voice ended in a soberer note. ... “Somo day I’ll take you away from it all. when I make my fortune. I’ll come like the prince in the fairy tale and carry ■ you off where mere’ll bo ’ no poverty, and no work, and no wicked stepmother to trouble you. You’ll have nothing to do then but wear lovely . dresses, and enjoy yourself, and bo as happy as a queen. Think of it. Don’t you wish it could happen to-morrow ?” His enthusiasm fell flat. “The mother isn’t wicked,” said Ellen, looking shocked and hurt. “She’s the best in the world, and you’ve no call to say the bad word of her, Garrett Cordon. ’Tisn’t the way she does bo spokin' of you.” The anger of her usually placid face • surprised him. “You shouldn’t take all I say, liter- . ally,” ho replied, with an impatient movement. “Of course, I don’t really moan that Widow Walsh is anything but good and bind. If you had tne least bit of imagination, Ellie, you’d ■ understand mo.” “If I had I might dhramo tho whole day long, an’ whore’d the bread como from?” said sensible Mary Ellen. “People live for other things besides eating,” grumbled Garrett whoso homo was with his uncle, tho poor schoolmaster, and whoso daily food was sure, though plain arid coarse. ‘“There’s another fault of yours,” he added, turning those brilliant grey eyes ou her half petulantly. “You don’t try to speak properly, or perhaps you do, but you forgot sometimes. And it’s a habit ■ that grows.” Mary Ellen flushed guiltily. “I haven't the learnin’,'” she sighed. “No. But a lob can he picked up by listening if you set your mind to it. And at night,' Ellie, you could surely spell out a single lesson from a child’s primer? It would help, and I’d tell you all you wanted to' know if you kept the book in your pocket.” Sho was silent. The night had its duties as well as tho day. , Her busy fingers, and Widow- Walsh’s feebler out's, did knitting for a shop in tho town, and tho few pence they both earned meant much to them. “You sec,” continued the lad, “I don’t want to be ashamed of you, by-and-by, when I’ve won my spurs, "and when "I come back in triumph to take you away. You wouldn’t like mo to bo ashamed of you, Ellio?” She shook her head and forced a smile, but Garrett’s words gave her a keen stab, and under the falling hair 1 her cheek whitened. “Why do you talk of coming back?” sho faltered. . “Are you goin’ anywhere ?” “To London,” ho replied, in an undertone athrill with joy. “It’s a secret, Ellie, and you mustn’t breathe it to a single person. I’m getting a place in a big office where tho priest’s

brother is head partner, and it’s a fine opening for a country hoy, hut 1 won’t / (here. 1 mean to no better than t;,,). I’il write hooks, Kiiie; hooks worth reading and worth buying. 'i mre are such a lot of delicious thoughts I want to write down, and somehow can’t tell, even to you.” 'Hie, child came toddling over the beat her to show the heaped treasure of J„r pinafore. And -Mary Ellbn. drew on her lap, and was glad of tho s/inil prattle which made speech uniivci sv,’ry, and of tho shelter of tho little curly head, behind which sho could let I lie weak tears trickle.

Thu golden glory bad laded. Dun shadows veiled tho hills. The pink and purplo splendour was only a brown bog forsaken of the bees and tho butterflies and given ever vo tho night wind and tho cloud. A breeze rustled eerily through tho grass, tho child whimpered to go home. “ ’Tis late for Sadie to bo out” said Mary Kllen, wrapping her thin shawl around the baby sister. They moved towards tho road, Garrett talking volubly, with an animation that lit up his face till it glowed and sparkled, lie shook tho unkempt locks oil' his forehead as ho laughed at some quaint conceit that rose readily to his lips and while this buoyant, eloquent mood was upon him tho girl retreated into tho background. Sho felt _as though invisible hands woro pushing her from his side. Ho was no longer her playmate, tho boy in rough homespun ami village-made brogues. ■ Ho was another Garrett sot high above her, on a peak among tho stars. At the cross roads they halted before taking their separate ways. Ho stood to bid her good-night, and when lie spoke again ins voice was lowand sweetly persuasive, like, tho murmur of little waves on the sea-beach. “'Will you kiss mo. Elbe, and wish me success ? And will you promise not to forget mo, and to keep Brian Shea at arm’s length ? ’Tis tho first kiss I’ve asked, and tho first promise, but maybe it won’t bo tbo last.” Their young faces woro bashful as they gave this seal and pledge of faith, and their eyes woro painfully shy, yet glad .with a grave, awed gladness. Youth takes these puerile vows- so seriously—with such ridiculous unquestioning belief in their sincerity. Garrett offered to embrace Sadie, too, in tho fulness of his heart. • But Sadie was cross, and her chubby hand boat him back; neither would she look at him, and when ho tried to turn her face round sho hid it on Mary Ellon’s shoulder. and screamed.

“As if Garretb'was a big ugly bogey,” said Mary Ellon, hurrying homo and giving vent to her annoyance. “lou ought to bo well ashamed, so you ought, an’ him. lavin’ us in a wee while to go—to go Oh, Sadie, ’tis you’s the bad child an’ tho unfeclin’, nfthor tho gran’ day w'e’vo had.” And because El lie cried softly in tho dark, Sadie began to whimper again for company’s sake. ,

The morning of Garrett’s dopartnro arrived, and ho left the village attended by a crowd of men and .women bent on seeing him off in state. Tho railway station, was four miles distant, but tho respect duo to tho stationmaster demanded that thcy_ should travel every foot of the way. It resembled a funeral, train going over tbe lull—Garrett’s box first on a donkey-cart, then Garrett walking arm in arm with his undo, both dressed in their Sunday suits of black. Then the neighbours conversing together, the men smoking, the older women passing the paper of snuff from ■ one to another.

Widow Walsh watched the procession out of sight behind the dip of the hill. “God bo with the boy,” sho said devoutly. And she made no remark when Mary Ellen’s appetite failed, and the porridge plate was pushed aside untouched.

But poor folks have no time to waste Ln grieving, for hunger is sharp no less than sorrow, and one must work to eat. In time tho blow softened, and Maijy Ellen could find pleasure in hearing of Garrett’s well-doing, where once tho utterance of his name was enough to bring the salt drops to her eyes. The kindly old schoolmaster often read scraps of his letters aloud, especially when the widow’s daughter was mentioned in them. And if Garrett particularly requested him to tell Elbe this or that, Ellio was summoned to hear tho tidings without delay. Sho pitied the old man the day tho nows arrived that Garrett had tlirown up his fine situation and started to win tho world by his own. efforts. Fear fot , ;.tHcv‘ bqy', ; and fear of tho priest’s anger worried 1 him, and his whining, querulous temper turned ou Mary Ellon because she took Garrett’s part, so a coolness grew between them. Not that it - mattered much. Tho letters stopped coming. ' Tho grand stones were burst bubbles, and Garrett got a place in the list of black sheep who had left Ciosheen to end badly. And all the while bo was working as' never man worked, straining every nerve, using bis powers to the utmost in that fierce fight wherein so many go under and so few win the palm. How ho lived and toiled and battled with starvation and despair were secrets told to none. Eight years passed over sleepy Clo shoen, leaving it unchanged, except that one missed familiar faces among the aged, and found now ones where tho children played. Then it awoke suddenly to the knowledge that it had nurtured and brought up a genius, and rubbed its eyes, and stared and wondered. ‘ ,

Papers reached the tumble-dawn house of the schoolmaster, and his voice trembled and broke as he read marked passages to au exclaiming crowd, and passed tho paper around to let all spell out tho familiar name. Magazines they did not set much store upon, pronouncing them too “highfalutin’ ” fox plain, country folks; but a gaily-bound book was the talk of the village. To listen to it was like hearing Garrptt speak. And hadn’t it the brogue pat, and the laugh springing on you before you knew what was coming, and the very breath of the heather and the salt sea on every page? Even the priest forgot bis huffiness, and went purposely to' have a peep at it, and to congratulate the schoolmaster. And it was noticed that he began to speak of the clever lad as “My friend, Mr Garrett Cordon, tho rising young author.”

Birt tho grand climax was not until Garrett came unexpectedly to visit his uncle; and tho priest, taking the arm of the tall, well-dressed, handsome young fellow, walked slowly with him down the single street of Closhoen in presence of the entire population. That mark of. distinction gave tho necessary completeness to his triumph. It was the crowning. Widow Walsh saw tho whole thing happen, and told Mary Ellen in breathless delight. The girl clasped her hands tightly and her taco shone, but a creepy cold thrill left it snowy pale. “Yer tired, achorra,” said the widow, with swift compunction. “Au’ mo ravelliu’ mil’ chat whin I should be get-

tin’ tho cup o’ tay ready. Well, well, yo’ll see tii’ boy himself soon.” Garrett coiled next evening when the day was waning grayly across tiie fields. Mary Ellen’s heart throbbed to smlocolion when fiis fingers rattled the latch, and ho stepped in as if lie had been away only since yesterday. A warm handshake, a laughing word or two that she did not catch, and he turned to answer tho widow’s eager questions, and loi snatch a kiss from an unfriendly .Sadie, now grown into a sudato maiden, on whom Garrett’s box of sweeties had an effect at onqo softoniug and bewild-

ering. Ho did not stay long. Ho bad to dine with the snug man of the place, a big farmer and a rural J.l’. Mary Ellen remembered that Martin Breo had a daughter, a fine, showy girl, able to dress in the latest fashion and wear jingling bracelets on and play tho piano and speak such grand English tliat nobody could understand her. A dull pang followed the thought. She drew further into the gloom of tho chimney and listened to the talk without saying much. Her fears were groundless as fax as Winnie Breo was concerned. Garrett had found his Fairy Princess, not hi tha guise of a village maid, though Closheen’s girls were fair, but in that of a lovely, disdainful lady belonging to another world than his. Slie had been kind and cruel to him by turns, and in one of her scornful moods she had hurt him so much that lie left her to bury himself in tho country nntii tho sting died and it pleased her to be kind.

When ho stood up to go Mary Ellen accompanied him to the, roadside. They spoke of the changes tho years liad made. Of tho people who had gono, and those who had filled tho gaps and tho oliango in themselves was nob mentioned, though each was aware of it. The city polish and city clothes, and Garrett’s easy refinement produced in her an awkward shyness, and on his side there was a constraint caused by tho recollection of their boy and girl courtship. ■ He almos't shuddered at tho alteration, in Mary Ellon. Her eyes woro beautiful still, and the old wise look was in them, shining darkly, like a moonbeam in a lone mountain pool; but her skin had coarsened with wind and weather, the delicate pure pallor had fled, tho soft black cloud of her hair no longer lent a charm to*tho oval face, Mary Ellon woro it twisted into a hard knob at the back of her head for utility’s sake. She could not spare time to dress it prettily, and who was to seo or care. 1

After a glance at Garrett’s shapely, well-kept hands, she hid hers under her apron, miserably conscious of stubby nails and cracks and cues. She might have discarded the clogs and the ugly working petticoat in honour of his visit, but pride forbade her to appear before Garrett in any other garb. She would meet him going to tho fields, or coining homo perhaps, and ho would know that she had decked herself out to attract him. “I mustn’t delay or poor old Martin will be fidgotty,” ho said,, consulting his watblu diiriug a break in the conversation. “i’ll say good-night, EJli-o, and if I have time I’ll run over before tho on cl of tho week to on joy' another chat about old days, and dear, drowsy, simple little Closheen. I may stay hero a month, so you’ll all get enough of mo aucl to spare.” “We’ll bo wearyin’ till we see you again,” she murmured. He nodded gaily, and went down the road at a brisk pace. She watched him stop to light his pipe, and the rod sparks flew up through the dusk and perished, like a hope that had braved tho silence of years to die under a careless look and smile. .

Mary Ellen went indoors, and resumed her knitting, with a quieter expression than usual. Tho widow was loud in her praise of the boy’s grandeur, and free manners, and unpretending ways; and Sadie loved him because of tho pretty box, and both were so talkative that Elbe’s dumbness escaped remark.

Tlie week slipped by, and Garrett came no more. ..“He had plenty of visits to'-pay,”’said Elbe, “and it wasn’t to be wondered at.” One day she went weeding to Martin Breo’s turnip fields, and just before the dinner hour Brian Shea chanced to bo beside her at the same ridge. Obeying a nudge of his elibow, sho straightened her tired neck and looked up. Martin, the snug man, liad appeared in the field, and behind him wore Garrett Conlou and “Miss Winnie,” as Broo’s daughter was called. They were walking together on the friendliest terms, laughing and whispering, aud the toss of Winnie’s over-be-dizened head sent many a sly glance from end tb’end of tho turnip patch. The throe stood conversing iu a group within a stouo’s throw of Mary Ellen. Sho felt tho blood flow sluggishly to her forehead, and stooped to hide it. Garrett’s eyes had rested on her unsecingly. Ho was smiling at Miss Bree’s shrill chatter, and perhaps bis thoughts were too busy or perhaps ho didn’t want to seo her! Mary Ellen’s face grew suddenly cold and proud, and the colour went from her cheek till the long lashes were like a sablo fringe on a white pall. Barney scrutinised her anxiously. When the dinner bell rang ho followed her across' the field with never a word, and a darkness sat upon his face as ho passed young Confon and tho master.

■ “Sure he’s only a dog at her heels,” jeered Martin. “Aid ’tis she’s the haughty colleen to bo despisin’ a son of Shea’s, but isn’t it his own fault? Demano yerself to a woman, an’ she’ll make pure dirt of yeh, my word forit.” T must speak seriously to Mary Ellen,” said Garrett, offering his arm to help Miss Winnie over the rough ground. But his memory proved treacherous until the last evening of his holidays. He bade farewell to Winnie, and left without uttering a single word that might bo construed into a proposal, to the intense vexation and disappointment of Mrs and Miss Bree. who were nearly sure of him. Then ho recalled to mind tho duty he had taken, ou himself, and sent a message to Mary Ellen, asking her to meet him at the crossroads in the morning, on his way to town.

She was nursing Sadie at the tune. Tho -child seemed to be sickening of somo complaint, and clung fretfully to the patient elder sister. If Mary Ellen wont out of her sight Sadie cried, aud was peevish and unreasonable. In the hush of tho early summer morning tho girl rose and dressed, with the quietness of a mouse, and her hand was cm the wooden bolt of the door when Sadio awoke with a sense of wrong and injury heavy upon her. Widow Walsh slept tho sloop of exhaustion, and, rather than disturb her, Mary Ellon stopped back quickly, and quelling tho sharp rebuke that leaped to her lips, she recked tho spoiled little creature on her bosom, and wondered drearily why it was that something always came between hexself and Garrett.

The minutes crawled by, leadenweighted. The eastern skies brightened, and the sun crept over the windowsill and the coverlet of the bed ere Sadie’s drowsy eyelids closed again reluctantly. Drawing tho patchwork

quilt to shade the light. Mary Ellon laid the child down gently and went to keep her tryst, too late. Sho ran fleetly, but the cross-roads were far off when a jaunting car whirled past -n tho direction of the town. Garretf sal on tho side nearest her, chatting familiarly over tho well of tho car t j the driver on tho other side, and sho caught the echo of ids resonant ivugii, but tho frantic waving of i or scarf was quito unnoticed. They re too engrossed to seo a girl signalling from tho distance, and she might as well have called to tlie idle wind to stop. The side car topped tho hill, and was out of sight before Mary Ellon reached tho grass plot that marked tho four crossroads of Closheen.

It was better so. Her wild grief would have been keener had sho known that Garrett only wanted to give her sensible, brotherly advice, and to plead tiio cause of Brian Shea, his old rival. To her dying day she believed that but for Sadie’s intervention Garrett would havo justified her foolish faith in him. i\nd now ho was gone, and the day was desolate, and tears were staining tho gay green ribbon she had tied around her nock with such a blithe heart that morning. Truth to toll, his thoughts were far away from Mary Ellon, over the sea in tho strange country where the beautiful fairy princess lived. She had been inquiring for him, his letters said, and her gaiety was a triflo more subdued tlian it used to bo. Flo road the letters a hundred times and never tired, dwelling upon these allusions to her till they gained in meaning with every fresh perusal. It was a boy’s first grand passion and it mastered him. It shone in his eyes, glowed in his smooth face, and proclaimed itself aloud in all his looks and actions.

Her name was Hilda in common parlance, and she was not a fairy princess to anybody’s way of. thinking except Garrett’s, but being an idealist, he saw things differently. Hilda rather enjoyed him, Ids impetuous love-making was so refreshing after the insipid .stuff served up to her by the ordinary society man who had neither intelligence nor daring enough to be original. She dismissed him when ho became troublesome and had the bad tasto to take her coquetting seriously. Sho welcomed him back because sho was suffering from onnui and needed a stimulus to help her through the fatigues of the London"season. Garrett’s presence had tho bracing effect of a mountain breC/.o laden with tho ambrosia of heathy uplands. If lie misunderstood her warmth that was his own affair. Hilda disclaimed ail responsibility in tho matter.

To note tho manner of his wooing was to doubt Garrett’s sanity. Ho, a poor struggling author, without a penny beyond his earnings, aspired to the hand of a highly-born beauty whose rejected suitors wore legion. He was a bolder wooer than any of tho gilded eligiblcs surrounding her, yet modest in his bearing and unassuming, as befitted a mere nobody, though he wore a crown or genius. Somehow those eight years of discipline had not rubbed the rusticity off Garrett’s inner man, while they loft no traoo of it externally. < Ho fancied that Hilda returned his passion, that she honestly liked to hear hint enthuse over his literary plans, and would be glad to exchange her palatial home for rooms in "Bioo luslmry and a crust sweetened by love. “Of course it wouldn’t actually be a crust,” he explained one night,_ sitting in the conservatory and holding her small, Soft hands reverently. “It would -bo-simple living, an unpretentious' homo, and few gaieties.” But, oh! the immeasurable gain for both of them; the riches of heart and mind so far beyond the conception of the moneyworshipping multitude. Really, Garrotit’s conduct waa inexcusable. He talked as if .ho wore concocting a romance, and he should have known that life lias little romance and more plain prose' than poetry. Hilda tilted her chin, and stared amusedly at this jlreamer of vain dreams. Her. golden head had a haughty poise, her smile was scornful and her reply cutting. In half-a-dozen words sho crushed tho presuming peasant youth as only blue blood allied to insolence could orush him. His head sank, tho eager, ardent" face grew incredulous,' then ashen. Stunned by the unexpected cruelty of her words, his -whole body seemed to shrink and collapse.

“I am going to marry Lord Fitznoodlo in a day or two,” continued Hilda, dealing tlio final blow With a directness . that sent it straight to the mark. “You must see how impossible your idiotic notion is; how absurd. Am I tins sort of woman to give up this”— casting a comprehensive glanco around —“for love in second-rate apartments?” “You aro a fiend,” he replied hoarse-

ly. Hilda waved a gauzy fan to and fro, and her* silvery laugh rang out merrily. His eyes wore like dull, grey stone.

“You have killed me,” lie said, moving towards the door unsteadily, “and you have killed genius.” It is only in fables that, fairy princesses aro always kind. Heal life has nothing but spurious imitations. “I do hope he won’t make a fuss,” frowned Hilda. “He is still unused to the ways of good society, poor fellow.” But Garrett made no fuss.. Ho went quietly back to his modest rooms and shut tho door upon himself and hisS agony. Midnight found him crouching in a chair beside a dead fire, the grate choked with the burnt fragments of his latest work. Hawn found him s-till gazing dry-eyed at tho holocaust of all Ills hopes, aspiration.-! and ideals. A flood of glorious morning sunshine streamed into the room and fell across his face, turned to tho window. The open eyelids never drooped, not a feivturo moved.

Oh, but youth is impulsive; and the young blood flows madly; and the untried feet run swiftly to death because they aro not broken into the rough places, and have not learned to go slowly over the jagged, fi°ry shards. He could not help or change his nature, restlessness of tho sea wave was given to him in the land of his begetting. And God who fashioned us knows our limitations, “An overdose of morphia,” they said. “A regrettable accident that quenched a life” of rich promise and left the thinking world poorer.” A twisted note lay on tho table, a short, incoherent love-missive,. breathing tho very soul of the man. ilt contained no reproach. It bore no name, but two of Garrett’s friends in arranging bis papers chanced upon a bundle of the schoolmaster’s letters, and in them Mary Ellen was mentioned so often, and with such significance, that they concluded his last message was meant for her; so to Mary EUen they sent it, enclosing a letter of explanation and sympathy. By one of these coincidences which often happen, Garrett’s funeral and Hilda’s wedding took place on tho same day, and almost at the same hour. Among the flowers that filled the hearse was a° little humble wreath of bogheather, pushed out of sight near the foot of tho coffin. In ill-written laborious character's it boro the inscrip-

iion, “With my hart’s luv,” and somebody possessed of finer discrimination than the rest drew it from its ignoble position, and laid it on Garrett’s breast under tho laurel and bay of his confrons.

’That was why Brian Shea got “No” for an answer when ho went the third time to ask Mary Ellen. Sho might iiavo yielded to him if her ono love had proved faithless, but with Garrett up in the heavens, looking down at her, and his written words, “You will never know how I worshipped you,” lying warm on her bosom, she would have refused a crowned king. After all, her mistaken belief wronged nobody, and it made her happy. For now there was no room for doubt or fear; ho was hers eternally. ■

\ et, despite her bravo endurance, dreary moments came to Mary Ellen, especially at that lone mystical hour ’twixt even and nightfall—- “ When tho dark glooms in tho door,” and the fields are misty grey with creeping shadows, and strange unbidden yearnings arise within us, bom of our longing and our loss. Closhoon’s wits are slow. It remarked that sho had a-quiet, unnatural expression, half sad, half glad. But Brian, tho unlearned and ignorant, recognised the growing soul, and,said that Mary Ellen’s face grow more and more like the Madonna’s every day.