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Dorothy was disappointed beyond ression, and Mrs. Darnley was oyed. It hurt her to think that woman should have such power her son, and 'that he should ve gone without a word or sign her; a sense of vexation, too, ingled in with her satisfaction in phat she was effectually parted from hat designing girl, vexation new to proud nature in more senses one. Jt was from Baines that Nancy Jearned of Darnley's: departire, , though her face made no sign, 'she felt a wave of relief pass through her; it would not be so dif- ficult to béar now he was gone, she fold herself. The torture of seeing him day after day, reading his ut- for contempt afid. disgust, would have been too great. nal The maid imparted the news very "wheerily ; but. her sharp eyes were {mot to be deceived by any acting, "however good, She had grown very 'fond of Nancy, and, woman-like, she had conjured up a& romance for the girl in which Derrick Darnley i $ook a prominent part. They would make a handsome pair, she had determined over and Sover again, as she had watched Nanoy walk across the grass, the sun glinting her russet curls, the sky above not bluer than her eyes. Any one could see Miss Hamilton was a lady born, and she was as 'gweet as she was beautiful. There _might be a double wedding, for all they knew, when the Earl of Mere: field led Miss Dorothy to the altar, "But all these dreams vanished when Baines beheld Nancy's white "face, and told her that Mr. Darn- 'ley had gone away; gone for good e had, so Foster said. Something ad happened, and when Baines knew what that something was she was thunderstruck with horror. "It ain't natural!' she cried, to her fellow servanfs; "and she'll break her heart, see if she don't." "If it ain't already broke," ob- . served old Foster, shrewdly. 'Don't Miss Dorothy take on, tov; I never see two such pretty faces so chang- ed. Lord 'a' mercy on us, what does a nice young woman like that want a-marryin' that beast; like enough he'll Kick her as he did poor Zoe." "And at this notion Baines turned pale with horror. 41 wish I might go with her when she goes," she thought to herself; but she said nothing to either her {young mistress, who had grown strangely quiet or constrained, or $0 Nancy, when she went in to help . 'the girl dress for dinner. It was "Baines, and Baines alone, who no- * giced how wan and weary Miss Ham- jlton was becoming. She knew just how much value to put on the red patches: which decorated: the fair _ i goung cheeks ; she knew that it was ¥io amount of heat which brought the dark circles round those blue eyes: Her heart beat in sympathy with the girl's, thqugh she said no- thing ; she moticed the quick; hun- i ry look that came in Nancy's face 'a nen Dorothy's voice sounded out- lo OF her step came on the stairs Dorothy, who used to' rush in very other monient laughing and 'Fomping, but who never came near the room now, and, indeed, rarely addressed Nancy at all. A RE For Dorothy was simply over- whelmed with grief and disappoint- "ment. She had to listen, day after "day, to bitter remarks about Nancy 'Hamilton, and hear her summed up mercenary, heartless and un- grateful, knowing all the while she «could not contradict the slander.' tried to make her happy, and vi piled" she used to say to her- believed i Te = of his unced. . OT have written and asked Madam Celeste to come to us here, Nancy," she said, gently. Bhe} will take the whole of your trous: seau in hand, No---no; please"--as Nancy's 'pale lips opened to spesk (please do not deny me this one| tl. pleasure. I entreat you, for the sake of the love and friendship that last once existed between: us, to allow |. 0 me to act toward you as T should act to a sister." Nancy's eyes were blinded = by tears. She bent und kissed Doro- thy's hand. : "Do as you will, dears I accept," she said, in i tones. el Dorothy grasped hér hands. "Nancy I' she . began," eagerly. Was the moment come when Nancy would throw = aside this horrible mystery that hung over her ac- tions { She waited almost breath- lessly, but the other girl made no sign, and, with a deep-drawn sigh, Dorothy moved to the door and went out. 5 If she could but have heard the moan that broke from Nancy's over- charged heart, and seen her arms outstretched in an abandonment of tenderness, she would have been happier than she had been ever since that: memorable might; but seeing, knowing rothing of this, she remained in the same state of dis: avpointed pain--a pain that was not lessened by the triumphant expres: sion on her Auny Priscilla's and her Aunt Anne's respective faces; they said as plainly as though the words were written there: 'This comes of quixotic kindness! Ah] we always knew that girl would turn out badly." "And to Dorothy, in her simple truth, it seemed as if she must, against all love and loyalty, agree with this, for she felt that Nancy must be sacrificing her very soul to gain this man's money. Mrs. Darnley watched the rift widen between thee two girls with intense satisfaction. "Once married, Dorothy will have done with her for ever." And Nancy. alone in here room, the night before her wedding morn, with none but the stars to shine i on her solitude, spread her arms and bowed her head upon them. "Only give me strength to bear it all!" was her prayer. 'Oh, Father, above, do not Thou desert me utterly.' : ene a CHAPTER XV. It must not be imagined that Nancy had calmly accepted Craw- shaw's statement concerning her uncle as complete and final. She had received a letter from Henry Chaplin; as -we" know, giving here a rather incoherent account ( his crime, #nd imploring her, by every thing she held: sacred, to save Him from dishonor "and open shame; , miserable} . i 'patterin rain 'on the leaves outside ¥ ht night bef at & dark, "close, sombre by "onw the glittering stars out of the gloomy, clouded the girl's ears' as she sat: keepis her lonely; miserable vigil uni morning = broke. She was very weary, but sleep was impessible to her. "Her hot, sad eyes went round the dainty room, : How dear, how inexpressibly dear, it looked to her! Here 'had been' spent the happiest moments' of her 'young. life, such moments as. she could not under- stand now, they seemed 80 far away, as if they nad belonged to some other creature--not to her, poor, 'helpless, hopeless Nancy! She was tired of thinking, tired of dwelling on the past--the future she would mot even let enter 'her thoughts; she shivered with and fear at the bare mention of the word. ; She was such a poor, young orea- ture to fight against so many and '| hideous difficulties. "Oh, if I could "only open my heart to her!" she cried, as - thy crept into her - mind; 'if 1 might only tell her all and' hold her clasped in my arms, it would be almost happiness. She would but whet the first sharpness of the}. 2 blow had worked = off; Nancy set{ about procuring further information from her uncle. : § Bhe found it very hard in her own mind 'to reconcile the thought of Henry Chaplin with so mean and base an act; and thought she could not 'deny the authenticity 'of his letter. yet she could not crush down a Strange suspicion aud doubt that] Crawshaw was deceiving her some- how. in this matter. When the first wook of her most miserable and comfortless engage- ment had passed, Nan to Bo ty 'dwelt but br on - sent: position, but asked him many quiestions about ber Ways, 4.3 ly 0 2 Af been Miss Dorothy, haired mistress it was, thers wi good prevailing, and every one had kind wish for Nancy, who bad en- deared herself +o all with her quick sympathy and generosity. © Sir Humphrey and Dorothy were determined on doing everything as well as it could be done, despite the very . disagreeable remarks passed on their folly by Lady Mere-| : field, and the sneers with which Mrs, Darnley watched the proceed. ings. k i "It is scandalous,' the Countess of Merefield declared; there conld not 'be more fuss or expense if Dorothy - herself. was going to be married; it is passing all 'compre- hension{ 'What claim has this irl upon them that they should make fools of themselves about her in this'way ?* She isa very lucky per: son, and it would have been more becoming altogether had she gone i lbs mb nL Litt. to force a ho the. spri Spring. Forced shedding ex hair before it is 1eddy to come the surface and it' quickly becomes dry and harsh, A mule seldom gets sick more |} than once and he gene (then, pore winlos. die. of accident and old age than trom. di e. ka _A horse that brings $300 at years of age pays as well or better than any other animal on t!