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sithiot: was TRL or ty i quiet; but Sigrid 'and "Well, oF course you sont . Bwanhild were in high spirits as|exactly put it in that way, but all they went down to Rowan Tree|the same, I think you would want 'House,' seriving i in "time _for|to be alone when you go back." - ed TRG. Sissons of hap-| He shook his head. = : ver, is always infecti-| 'No; you are 'quite mistaken. Now, promise that if' Mr. Jonitave | agrees, you will all come too.' "Very well, !? she said, "1 promise." "Where are they going tof he exclaimed, glancing into the inner room where Roy was wrapping a thick sofa blanket about. Sigrid's "shoulders: "Out into the den. to hear the bells, I dare say,'" she replied. "We generally go out if itis fine.' 'Let us come 00,' 'he said; and they left the bright room and went out into the dusky. veranda,~pacing silently to and' fro' Sbscrbed in helt bells rang 'Peace and good-will, » good-will and. peace t Peace and good-will to all man- kind. ure brightens' 'of his home which 'beeni so much to him ever since first wet foot in it. With" Swanhild f3r an excuse played all sorts 'of games; but en at last she had been sent' off fo bed, the fun and laughter quiet ed down, 'and Mrs, Boniface played their nightly game of back- mon ; Roy and Sigrid hada ste-a-tetes in. ther little dr; ine sud bo i _- doy pe Feithiot er 'himself Fike in the great arm-chair close by her, list- ening halt dreamily and with a rest- ful'sense of pause in his life that he had never before known. He de- sired nothing, he reveled in the sense of freedom . from the love which for so long had been a mid- Eto him'; the very calm was But the other two, down in a sheltered path at the end of the garden were not silent, nor did they listen very much to 'the bells. "That is beautilul,'" he said,| "Bigrid,"' said Roy, "have you 'when the music ceased. "After all there is no one like Mendelssohn, he is' so human." "You look like one ef the lofus- Satens," said Cecil, glancing at mise last June?' "No," she said, her voice tremb- ling a little, "I have not forgot- ten." ' "You promised that when Frith- "Tt is precisely what I feel like; Liof was cleared I might ask you for he said, with & smile. "Perhaps it|YOur answer.' so . She raised her face to his in the is because you liave been giving me dim starlight. "Yes, 1 did promise." "And the answer is--1"' "I love you." The soft Norse words were spoken I remember so well how you read hardly above her breath, yet Roy that to me after I had been ill. » [knew that they would ring in his She: took a little thin red volume heart all his a he % : from 'the book-shelves beside her | My darling!" he said, taking + and. turned: over the leaves. He her in his"arms. : 'Oh, if you knew bent forward to look: over her, and | What the hn has been to me! But it was my own fault--all' my $3gekber they read the fret pars of own fault. I ought to have trust- (It'is Norway," ho said ed your instin¢t before my own rea- could better desoribe it! Oo 50.7 he "ankly. Hinging 46 "You will not be a true lotus- Hit ; 1 think' I. was Tard and' bit: sates Bo re Es | ter that day; you must forgive me, his dreamy content was gone, and {Hor 1 ek 2: 3 Sa: Po Bb : Widiiuiness which she quite, unl "Chink. of it sven." erstood had = taken its place. to thin ve 'Don't you think, now that all is. And. nothing can sver some: Le : 3 tween us -again,'"' 'he said, still #o different, you might perhaps go keeping his arm round her as they there next summer?' she added. =o yp 4° 0 'No,' he replied, "you must not "No; never. again," she tepost tempt me. I will not go back till od; ipoYer again, ) know: 1 'am Tam a free man and can look every |, nroud and independent, and I Bae dune Saes he Prospect of of | suppose it is to crush down my had expected ought to be San iin pride :that 1 have to come. te you to satisfy me. Buppose we build castles in the air; that is surely the | right thing to do on: Christmas- ove. When at last these debts are oleared. let us 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 epent the summer holiday." 'How delightful it would Bet! Ceail, "Don't say 'would," say 'will,' "he replied. *'Y shall not 'thorough: * Sales we all go to- " Music that gentlier on the spitit lies Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes.' "What money, and--"' 'How can you speak of such things,"" he said, 'reproachfully. yom know they are nothing to me ; you know that 1 can never feel worthy of you.' "Such things & seem' very little when one really loves," she said, gently. "I thought it over, and it seéms to me like this--the proof of your love to me is that you take mé poor, an exile, more or less burdened with the past; the proof of my. love to you is that I kill my pride--and yield, seemed impossible to me once; but now-- Oh, Roy! how 1 love you-- how I love you?" - : think ne uld be rather in * * » . *, the 'way,' she said. "You would "And about Frithiof 1" said Roy; 80 many old friends out there, | presently. = You will explain to would 'want to get rid of us. |him and make him understand that remember the old lady n at holm | up his home #22. i * "Yes, "» she replied, him; but 1 think till to- -morrow let it b "1 will tell to-night. Just only for our- forgotten: that you made me a pro- It would 'have' And 'ma; Y Christ was born for this'! glancing up at 'her. 'when Ssh "read her ret in her vor slowing face. She rose from the piano. : ""A happy Christmas to you," she said, Rios her on both shacks, "We have been out in the garden, | right down in the lower path, and you can't think how lovely' Mia} bells i. wound," said Sigrid, Then, with a fresh stab of pain ain at her heart she though Frith. iof's spoiled life; she looked wist- fully across at him, conscious that her love for Roy had only deepened her love for those belonging to her, Was he never to know anything more satisfying than the peace of being freed from the heavy load of suspicion! Was he only to know 'the pain of love? All her first de- sire' to kéep her secret to herself died away as she "looked "at 'him, and in another minute her hand ras on his arm. "Dear old boy," she said to him in Norse, "won't you,' come into the garden with: He for a few minutes?' Bo they went oud together: nto] ; the starlight, 'and wandered down ! land on the journey, and as Signment was at owner' loss mean something 3 nei lm of $5,000. ext year the Duchess hopes to| to the sheltered path where she and |y Roy had paced to and fro so long. What a happy: Christmas it: bot for us all !" she sald; ht ful } "Very; and how little we. ed it!' said Frithiof. "Do you think,' she beg Noringlad 'do you think, Hi it would make you less | happy Mf I told you of a new happinens that has come to mef" x Her tone as much as the: actual words suddenly enlightened him: "Whatever makes for your hap- piness makes for 'mine,"' he said, trying to read her face "Are you sure of that? she said, | the tears rushing to her eyes. "Oh, if I could quite believe you, Frith: iof, how happy I should be!' "Why should you doubt me?' hel "Come, I have guessed | 4 your secret; you are going to tell / | me that--'"' " asked. "That Roy will some day be your brother as well as' your friend," she said, finishing his sentence fory' like 'this, robbed of position and |bim. Heé caught her hand 5 his and} 5 held it fast. "I wish you joy, | Sigrid, with al my heart. This puts the finishing touch to our Christmas hapiness."' "And Roy hes been making such] = plans," said Sigrid; brushing away her tears; "he says that just over the wall there is a charming little house back to back; this one, and it will Eo hold us all, for of course he 'will never allow ly us to bé separated. He told me that long ago, when he first asked me." "'Long ant said Frithiof ; "why | "It was vas o $04 hira. his answer, ht he 3 I would not for the. Notld break thit an : believing in 3 nu know, with | provide wi dial | vi Rian = sre no ing on n of a lit- A WOMAN. AS 8H SHIP SURGEON. British Board of. ot Trade Law 008 | Not Forbid It. Heretofore the position of 'ship' surgeon has been monopolized : : men, but 'all 'doubt 'as to the eligi- bility of women for the position has been set at rest: by a Beottish ae Sompany the Clyde ready': to sail 'for Aus-| tralia with: a large number. of pas- | séngers, including emigrants, on |! board.- All that kept it' from leay- 3 the |; ing was the lack of a surgeon. A: qualified 'woman doctor, ghier of 'a marine engineer, her services. woked -up all precedents, and, al nothing see inst it, and the woman Ea ------------ ------,---- d of the dificulty and offered | The board of trade | officer 'who had to certify the ship |" agh he found that mo woman | had ever before been signed on as| of a ship, he gould find | Rein ~~ dootor went out with the steamer. i. Sige Winter Care of" Drafters. Most firmers do not get full fe of their horses Shrough failu: ork for th SHout og) =