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ous; and he soon threw off his taci- nity, and dragging himself away om his own engrossing thoughts, © forgot the shadows of life in' the . pure brightness of this home which 'had been so much to him ever since * he first set foot in it. With SBwanhild for 'an excuse * they played all sorts of games; but when at last she had been sent off to bed, the fun and laughter quiet- ed down, Mr. and Mre. Boniface played their nightly game of back- mon; Roy and Sigrid had a ong - tete-a-tete in = the little drawing-roony; Cecil sat down at the piano 'and began to play Men- délssohn's Christmas pieces; and Frithiof threw himself back in the great arm-chair close: by her, list: ening half dreamily and with a rest- ful sense of pause in his life that he never before known. He de- sired nothing, he reveled in the sense of freedom from "the love which for so long had been a mis- ery to him; the very calm was bliss, "That is beautiful," he said when the music ceased. "After all there is no one like Mendelssohn, he is so human." You look like one of the lotus- Satem,! said Cecil, glancing at ""I¢ is precisely what I fee] like," he said, with a emile. 'Perhaps it is because you have been giving me " 'Music that gentlier on the #pirit lies Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes.' 1 remember so well how you read that to me after 1 had been ill,"! She took a little thin red volume from ' the book-shelves beside her and turned over the leaves. He! oiling. V BD i "Where are. they exclaimed, glancing 'into the inner room where Roy was wrapping a thick 'sofa blanket about Bigrid's shoulders. Tat 'Out into the garden to hear the bells, T dare say," she replied. 'We generally go out if it is fine," "Let us come t00,"' he saidj and they left the bright room and went out into the dusky veranda, pacing silently to and fro~absorbed in their own thoughts, while the Christmas bells rang 'Peace and good-will, good-will and peace, Peace and good-will to all 'man- kind.» But the other two, down in a sheltered 'path at the end of the ganden wére not silent, nor did they listen very much to the bells. "Bigrid,"' said Roy; "have you forgotten that you made me a pro- mise last June?" fi "No,"' she said, her voice trémb- ling a little, 'I have not forgot: ten." S "You promised that when Frith- iof was cleared I might ask you for your answer," She raised her face to his in the dim starlight. Y "Yes, 1 did promise." "And the answer is--17' "I love you." The soft Norse words were spoken hardly above her breath, yet Roy knew that they 'would ring in his heart all his life long, 'My darling!" he 'said, taking hdr in his arms. 'Oh, if you knew bent forward to look over her, and | ¥hat the waiting has been to mel together they read the first part of Bul it was my own fault--all my the poem. : "It is Norway,"' he said. "What could better describe it 1 'You will 'not be a true lotus- eater till you are there once more,"' said Cecil, glancing at him. Far his dreamy content was gone, and {le a wistfulness "which she 'quite un- derstood had taken its place. "Don't you think, now that all is so different, you might perhaps go there next summer?' she added. "No," he replied; "youn must not tempt me. ' I will not go back till ¥-am a free man and can look every one in the face. The prospect of being free so much sooner than I had expected ought to be. enough to satisfy me. Buppose we build castles in the air; that is surely the right thing to do on Christmas- eve. When at last these debts are cleared, let ns all go to Norway to: gether. I know Mr. Boniface would be enchanted with it, and you, you did not see nearly all that you should have seen. You must see the Romsdal and the Geiran- ger, and we must show you Oldo- ren, where we so often spent the summer holiday."* 'How delightful it would be!" said Cecil! tia ' "Don't say 'would,' say 'will,' " he replied. 'I shall not thorough- Ly anjoy it unless. we all go. to- . gether, a huge . "1 think we Sond be. rather in the way," she said, "You would "have so many old friends out there, would want to get rid of us. Don't you remember the old lady who was 80 outspoken at Balholm when we 'tried to be friendly and not to of it?' own fault. let her feel lonely and out I ought to have trust- ed your instinct before my own rea: son." ] 'No, no,"' she said, clinging to him ; 'I think I was hard and bit- ter that day; you must forgive me, for' 1 was so very unhappy. Don't t us speak of it any more, 1 hate to think of it even." 'And' nothing can ever come be: tween us -again,"' he said, still keeping his arm round her as they walked on; ; 'No; never again," she repeat- ed; "never 'again. I know'I am too proud 'and independent, and I suppose it is to crush down my pride that I have to come to you like this, robbed of position and money, and--" : i "How = oan you speak -of such things,"" he said, reproachfully. "You know they are nothing to me ; you know that I can never feel worthy of you." i "Buch things do seem very little when one really loves,"" she said, gently. "'I thought it over; and it seems to me like this--~the;proof of your love to me is that you stake me r, an exile, more or less burdened with the past; the prot of my love to you is that I kill my pri and yield. It would have seemed impossible to me once; but now-- Oh, Roy I" how I love you-- how I love youl!" : Yoru » ¥ * 'And about Frithiof ¥"' said Roy, presently. 'You will explain. to I would not up wr for ros held it. fast. g 01" hel! Cecil, glancing u "he the carol was ded ead h ret in her happy, glowing face rose from 'the piano. : . "A happy Christmas to you," said, kissing her on both cheeks. 'We have been out in the garden. right down in the lower and you can't think how lovel bells sound,'"' said Bigrid, BE Then," with a fresh stab of pain at her heart she thought of Frith- iof's spoiled life; she looked wist- » aol | fully across at him, conscious that her love for Roy had only deepened has love for those = belonging to er. Was he never to know anything more satisfying than the peace of being freed from the héavy load of suspicion? Was he only #0 know the pain of love?! All her first de- sire to keep her secret to herself died away as she looked at him, and in another minute her b as on hig arm. "Dear old boy; she said to him 'in Norse, "won't you come into the garden with me for a few minutes!' i A Bo they went out together into +'| the starlight, and wandered down | to' the sheltered Path Whets she'wnd 80" "long, "it has | Ol Roy had paced to and fi 'What a happy Christm been for us all I' she's ught- fully. So RN ; Very ; and how little we expect- ed it |' said Frithiof. "Do you think," she" bi teringly, "do you 'think it would make you less told you of a new hap) tome $0 met', $a Her tone as much as the actual words syddenly enlightened him. "Whatever makes 'for your piness makes for mine,'"' he trying to read her face. ; "Are you sure of that 1" she said, the tears rushing to her eyes. 'Oh, if I could quite believe you, Frith- iof, how happy I should bel?' 'Why should you doubt mef asked. "Come, I have guessed your secret, you are going to tell me that--" dari 'That 'Roy will some day be your brother as well as your friend," she said, finishing his sentence for him, i He caught her hand in his and "I wish you joy, Sigrid, with all my heart. This puts the finishing touch to our Christmas hapiness." 'And' Roy has been Saki wath plans," said Sigrid, brushing away her tears; "he says that just over, the 'wall there is a charming littls house back to back, you know, with this one, and it will just hold us all, for of course he will never us to be separated. He told me long ago, when he first-asked ik BE age' 'said Frithiof ; what do you mean, Sigrid thought it wag only to-night 'It was only tosnj him his answer," Sigrid. was when we were at the 'he first and make him underdtand that | r the world break 4: Seely able, for animal to her a fow days which was from Ireland on the journey, and the signment was Te owner's: risk th loss will mean something neighborhood of $5,000. A WOMAN AS > € in 7 the| | SHIP SURGEON. | Board of Trade Law Does| CUR Net Forhid It. the' Clyde' ready to sail for Aus: tralis with » large number of pas- Your! officer who had to certify the sh looked up all precedents, and; al: |' though he found that no woman | bad. ever before been signed on as!' sur] n of a ship, he could uy nt the x Lag find | +