I restrained myself from entering and driving him out at once. But by a mighty effort I controlled myself, and hurried away, going, I hardly knew or cared where. But soon, walking blindly, swiftly on, away from the thickly settled part of the city, I became conscious that some one was walking closely behind me. I turned impatiently, too anxious to be alone to endure even a step behind me, and with a mocking laugh, I caught the gleam of black eyes I knew full well, as a voice said, hissingly:

"So you will not be warned! you even play the spy, do you? Then take that.'

"I jumped aside, stooping slightly, and the ball, probably intended for my heart, grazed my left ear, and a crushing blow over the head with some heavy instrument at the same instant levelled me. He meant it should be a sure job, you see, Ned. I had wandered restlessly on so far, he following me, till we were in a lonely place, that we were quite alone at the opportunity he improved.

"Two men returning quite late chanced upon me, and one of them happening to know me, I was taken home insensible, remaining unconscious till morning. At first they feared it had settled me; but finally I came around, though this place on my skull never has felt just right, Ned, for it was an ugly blow.

"When I was in a condition to inform my anxious friends just what had happened to me, and by whom, the house was found empty. Not a trace of my would-be murderer could be found.

"Three long years, dreary plodding years passed, such as one lives when the light and hope have gone out of his life, during which I grew surly and reserved, yet was really successful in my profession. How I badgered the witnesses about that time! It was my chief delight to make others as uncomfortable as myself, and their glances of extreme disgust were a sweet tribute of pleasure to me.

"One evening, 'twas just the close of that session when the tiresome will case was decided, and I returned to my office tired and heartsick of it all, yet treasuring with grim satisfaction the opprobrium and the hatred I had brought upon myself from the contesting party, because I had secured for that timid little lady the comfortable sum of a hundred thousand; prov

ing beyond the shadow of a doubt, seemingly, that the querulous but wealthy widow was in her right mind, and entirely uninfluenced in bequeathing to her loving companion and nurse this handsome property, all for disinterested affection, and leaving her grasping relatives out in the cold.'

"I pleaded well for her, and there was a warm corner in my warped heart at the remembrance of that humid grateful glance from eyes the color, and nearly as sweet, as my lost Gracie's. And just at that remembrance, the boy entered with, 'Letters, sir.'

"I took up several and glanced hurriedly through them, then one which I read twice, slowly, these words, in a tremulous irregular hand:

"R. H. BENNETT, ESQ., -Will you come at once to 120 Avon Place, and confer a favor, with a promise of a loving reward, to an old enemy who is-well, horsdu-combat? In haste,

"GRACIE'S GUARDIAN.'

"Then without further delay, forgetful of weariness, I caught up my hat, told the boy I was suddenly called away, hurried to the street, and hailing a car, was soon on my way to Avon Place, my sluggish heart bounding furiously.

"I caught just a glimpse of a slender graceful form, the flutter of a light dress, as I entered the luxurious parlor at Avon Place, where I waited a few moments, watching anxiously, eagerly, the door through which that form I knew so well had disappeared, and then I was conducted by a servant to a spacious upper room, where, supported by pillows, lay my enemy, 'hors-du-combat,' truly. His handsome face, wan and ghastly, looked still more so by contrast with the masses of jetty hair clustering around it in careless profusion; here and there a thread of silvery whitethat dazzling glassy white which such black hair takes when touched by age-made its deep blackness more apparent. The fun black eyes were glassy with an intense burning light, and bespoke the unrest of the scheming soul beneath inaction. This I took at a glance; for there are some who make such a vivid impression upon the mind that it receives minutiæ in detail, every part of the impressive whole, as quickly as we compass the outline of a tiny

picture. He extended a hand so white and attenuated I hesitated to touch it; and laughing that sneering laugh yet, he said:

"You see I'm not afraid of you now, Bennett, for the law will hardly meddle with such a wreck as this; there's not enough left to fight, you see, and so they will have to give me up to that Higher Court, where it seems a fellow don't have the ghost of a chance unless he's tremendous good.' And he laughed again.

"There was such a daring levity in the man's manner, so near to death, that I could not speak for a moment, and he continued:

"I'm glad I didn't kill you now, Bennett, as I meant to, for you see I've got to give in; and as I haven't married Gracie yet, I shan't be able to.'

"He looked at me steadily a moment, with a glance I did not understand, then said:

"I've learned you are not married yet, and now I want to know from you whether you love my little girl? You know what I told you, Bennett, and I now repeat it, putting it a little stronger. There isn't a man in the world I'd sooner give my Gracie to than you. Now-do you want her?' he asked, suddenly, a strange tremor in the usually strong voice.

66 6 "When a man at my age falls deeply in love he doesn't get over it easily. Your ward is very dear to me, but does she care for me?' I asked.

"Bah! You've got to find that out yourself. I give you leave to. They say you're a pretty smart lawyer now, and I guess you'll be able to plead your own cause. I was only afraid you might try to catch the little woman whose case you've won so neatly. They will talk, you know, and I've kept myself well posted in your affairs since I got back here, a week ago.'

"Then moving slightly, he uttered a deep groan, followed by a muttered imprecation in which was Hart Greenleaf's name.

"I looked at him inquiringly, and he said:

466 "You haven't asked me what brought me to this state, and perhaps you don't know.'

"I assured him that I did not know, and he continued:

"And I haven't given you a chance to ask. Well, I played my game with Hart, and won, in that I fleeced him well, and

then he turned raving when he suspected I'd been cheating him. You see he thought I was going to give Gracie to him. But that evening you looked in upon them was the last time I let him see her alone. I took Gracie to Paris; he followed, and after tampering with him a while longer. winning largely from him, I gave him the slip again, and for some time we kept clear of him; but finally he found us out. He called me all sorts of pretty, fond names, and when I laughed at him, he flew into a rage and tried to kill me. Well, I'd had enough of skulking, and tried to calm him, and work away from him, not liking a fuss among strangers. To make the story short, he demanded Gracie, tried to steal her, and all that sort of thing; then he met me again, we quarrelled, and I tried to get away from him; but he was mad with liquor, and parrying only on the defensive, as he fought me, I got an ugly thrust in the side. I was careless and restless; inflammation set in, but. I got better, then got cold, fever set in, the wound somehow wouldn't heal-is still open. I've wasted away, got a bad cough, and, well-they say I must give in. Curse him! Gracie feels bad, poor little girl! I've been hard to her sometimes, but still she cares for me. Just pull that cord, will you, Bennett ?'

"I did as he desired, and a sharp peal sounded. In a moment the door opened quickly, and Gracie stood before me, with flushed cheeks from haste, and a startled look in her blue eyes. When she saw me she flushed still more deeply, and would have retreated, but Mr. Carson held out his hand, saying:

"O no, no, Gracie! Come here, dear, I want you.'

"In a few minutes she returned, with some tea in a glass, which he swallowed at a draught; making a grimace, he said: "You see I don't take kindly to herb drinks, but my little nurse insists upon following directions, and I must bear the result of folly. I wonder if you will make as tender and faithful a nurse to Bennett when he's laid up any time, Gracie?' he said, softly, tenderly stroking her hand as she smoothed his pillows. She started from him, flushing painfully, but he held the hand he had taken firmly, and continued, laughingly:

"Don't run away, dear. You see I've given you away, Gracie, and if Bennett is not real good to you, why, I'll haunt him; but there, he'll be a great deal better to you than I have been. He's a different sort of a fellow, you see, Gracie, and—' "Don't she said, lowly, a sound of

tears in her voice.

Why

"I gave a hasty glance at the lovely face, so flushed and drooping in painful embarrassment, and I rose resentfully. would the man be such a fool, I thought! He looked up at me, smiling in his olden aggravating way, and then releasing Gracie's hand, he murmured:

"There, there, never mind, dear!

"She turned quickly from him, aud flashing oue resentful glance at me, her eyes filled with tears, she hastened from the room.

"I gave him a fiercely indignant look, I presume, and laughing again, he said:

"Be patient, Bennett; you see the evil one reigns in me yet, and I like to plague you.'

"At his earnest desire I made several calls upon the sick man, arranged some business matters, in the last of which I learned that the old nurse's story was true; but the only explanation he deigned to give was that he always disliked the old woman, and for some reason he wanted Gracie to feel dependent upon him, while he used the money which rightfully belonged to her. He was a great gambler, and at that time he owned he lost heavily. But of late years he had been successful in every venture or undertaking; and at his death, which soon occurred, Gracie was well provided for. The old nurse had been with her all of the time after her severe illness.

"The parting at the last between guar

dian and ward was very affecting, and I believe with all that was noble in his strange nature, Will Carson truly loved his little charge. But ah! the evil selfishness of his willful arbitrary nature held predominance through his daring life, and he strove to make everything subservient to that.

"After the funeral, which I attended, I called to see Gracie, determining, as ber late guardian desired, to urge a speedy marriage, if she looked favorably upon my proposals that being the greatest desire of my heart. Imagine my surprise when the old lady came to me, bowing stiffly, and told me in a constrained voice that her dear Gracie had gone away for a spell, and said she was to tell me if I called and there was any business to be attended to, I could tell her about it. Cool, now, wasn't it, Ned? Well, I told her shortly, as stiffly, I suppose, as she had talked to me, that I didn't know of any business that would require her immediate attention, as everything had, I believed, been satisfactorily arranged; then I coolly bade her 'goodevening,' and as I turned away, the old lady said, timidly, Mr. Bennett!'

6

"I turned to her instantly, but she stood in a confused state, saying nothing further till I asked:

"Well, what did you want, Mrs. Aylie ? "She clasped her hands in a nervous way she had, and after a momentary hesitation, she said, falteringly:

"I-I didn't really want anything, but, sir-well, you've been real kind-and-do not be mad, sir,' she ended, nervously, clasping her hands; and with a murmured good-night she left me.

"Satisfactory, wasn't it, Ned? Then Gracie didn't really care for me, after all, I thought, as I wended my way slowly home in no very amiable mood. The resentful look I had before attributed to her trying, embarrassing position, I now accepted as being specially intended for and directed to me. I made myself extremely uncomfortable by appropriating everything unpleasant.

"Gracie's conduct to me under the circumstances seemed a dismissal. All my assurance left, I persuaded myself readily that Gracie did not, never had cared for me. 'And why should a beautiful young lady care for a hardened old fogy like me?' I asked. I'd been a fool, of course I had.

I should have known better from the first. So I shut my mouth still closer, and my heart, too, and went back to my books and profession with renewed zeal. And for a year longer, Ned, I don't believe an uglier, more discontented man lived. Gracie, poor and ill-treated, was a very different person, you see, from Gracie wealthy and free.

"Well, to shorten and end this tediously long story now as soon as possible, I had been attending a session at Raynor, a dull dingy hole, where, at the one badly-conducted house claiming the pretentious name of 'Hotel,' we had nothing fit to eat. I was glad to get out of it all, and was in a worse temper than ever. I entered the old stagecoach with a whack and vengeancestriving, literally, to shake the very dust, or rather snow, and dirt of Raynor off my feet. Four men, and a little lady nearly hidden in furry wraps and closely veiled, were the occupants of the stage which had started from B- -, ten miles beyond, and was to take us twelve miles further to the railway station. The men, cheery old farmers, were inclined to be very sociable, and plied the 'Squire' with innumerable questions, to which, alas, they got but sorry answers; and after most persevering efforts, they got discouraged, and talked among themselves, the lady and I remaining silent.

"The road was bad, the travelling consequently very disagreeable, all pitches and gullies, but I was glad of it, because every jerk gave me some reasonable cause to growl, until-well, the horses had become frisky and unmanageable from continued worrying, and the driver had, I should judge, taken in a pretty good supply of the invigorator to cheer him on his rugged way, and probably was careless. Away we plunged, recklessly, for a mile or more, until we were about five miles from the station, when whack, thud, down we went furiously into a tremendous pitch, and over went the rickety old stage!

"We were piled up there promiscuously in double-quick time, the fractious horses still pulling and hauling. One old man groaned dismally, and in an interval of his noisy groaning, I heard a feeble moan, a sob, as it were. I knew then the little lady was injured, perhaps badly. As soon as we could extricate ourselves, I found the

thick veil torn aside from the pale quivering face, and—well, I took care of poor little Gracie, pale and suffering again, with a bruised head and a broken arm. And, Ned, I vowed mentally I wouldn't lose her again unless-ahı! how did I know but that she was already married? else how came she way up here? But as soon as she was comfortable enough to talk she told me the old nurse had been to visit some old friends in B- was taken very ill, and she had been to see her. I got a sleigh, and took my precious charge to comfortable quarters as soon as possible. And then my former confidence partially returned, and one day I said to her:

66 6

'Gracie, don't you think I've waited about long enough now? Or do you propose to make me wait as long as Jacob did for his Rachel? I am very unhappy, Gracie!

"A smile flickered about the tender mouth a moment, then straightening her graceful form, she said, constrainedly:

"I do not know, Mr. Bennett, that I have ever intimated that it was my desire that you should wait, or given you any assurance that by-'

"I couldn't stand any more, Ned, for her sweet voice, which I had thought really tender when speaking with me for a few days past, was as cold as an iceberg now.

"Gracie! I faltered out, as I turned from her, feeling that I had made a most egregious blunder somehow, and that I was a far greater bungler at love-making than at the bar. I stood still a few minutes, feeling as if I had got a stunning blow, unable to walk; then I made an effort to leave the room, to rid her of my disagreeable presence. My hand was on the doorknob when I felt a light touch upon my arm, and looking down upon a blushing drooping face, a tremulous voice whispered:

666

"I-I think you have waited long enough, Mr. Bennett! And then my Gracie, at last, was softly crying in my arms.

"There, Ned, I must enjoy that exquisite sensation which never has wholly left me, a moment, in silence sweet. I haven't been married but two years yet, Ned. And when it is a union of hearts-a true marriage in the sight of Heaven as well as earth, one will, one hope, a full accord through life, a true love (and I believe that there may be such on earth)-should love grow cold or old, Ned ?"

Some think of Death with trembling awe, And shudder when his summons come; But O, 'tis sweet indeed to know

To MARY 'twas but "going home."

With heavy hearts and sinking eyes

We knelt beside her couch to hear Words with such peace replete, it seemed That angels whispered in her ear.

She bade us, one and all, to prove

More worthy of the Saviour's love, And to each friend assembled there Her pale lips breathed "Meet me above." Didst thou behold the shining gates.

Thy soul so soon would enter through? For those last dying words revealed Some glorious scene had met thy view. We watched the loving eyes grow dim, The feeble breath forever cease;

But round those lips there lingered still
A smile of sweet triumphant peace.
In dreaming o'er my childhood's days,
How many tender memories blend
With sweet and gentle thoughts of thee,
My sister, counsellor and friend.

So many years thy loving smile

Its sunlight round my pathway shed, 'Tis hard indeed to realize

That thou art numbered with the dead.

O Mary! may thy spirit be

My guardian angel night and day, To lead my feet from sinful paths Into the straight and narrow way. And when my heart is stilled beneath The pressure of Death's icy hand, O, may thy voice be first to sing A welcome to the better land!

"WHAT does she look like, Connor ?" "It is almost too dark to be positive, sir, but I think she is a Ti-mung, a west-coast fellow, and you know, Captain Selfridge, they are a hard set."

"They'll find that we are the hardest nut they ever attempted to crack, if they conclude to run foul of our hawse. I shall not sheer out for the scamps. You see, Connor, I have got an unusually large cargo on board, as you know. There are over five, hundred chests of opium in the Monsoon's hold, and I'll be cursed if any one westcoast junk afloat shall deter me from landing this cargo. Each chest cost twenty-five pounds sterling in Calcutta, and R& Co. wil net one hundred and twenty-five pounds per chest in Hong Kong. Our share will amount to twenty thousand dollars, and that sum is worth fighting for."

"You can depend upon me, Selfridge, and so long as I am mate of the-"

"Enough, Connor, we understand each other. We have not sailed two years in

the same craft for nothing. But the crew, Connor-we are short-handed this trip."

"Never mind that, sir, they are ten good Yankees, and the Chinamen will have to work lively to get the weather gauge of us. Ha! there she keeps off, Selfridge, and I fancy they are hungry for us. In fifteen minutes the junk will be within hail."

"Prepare to answer all impudent questions then, and offer the boys five sovereigns a man for extra duty. Tell the steward to broach that keg of brandy in the storeroom, and, Connor, step down and take a throat-seizing yourself with me, for the honor of old Cape Cod."

It was nearly dusk, and the high land near the mouth of the Canton River loomed up rugged and indistinct through the rapidly increasing darkness.

Forging ahead neath the influence of a moderate land breeze was a huge Ti-mung, or man-of-war junk, the large lateen sails rising and falling as the junk dipped her bluff bows in the long regular swell of the