CHAPTER XXVI.

"By your truth she shall be true-
Ever true, as wives of yore;
And her 'Yes' once said to you,

Shall be yes for evermore."

E. B. BROWNING.

I MUST have been long absent, for Noel looked wearied and pale with waiting; while aunt Scann greeted me with a burst of wonder, almost upbraiding.

"My dear, where have you been? my poor nevey,—waiting for his draught, and it's long past the tea hour, and, indeed, such a wonder, such a situation."

"You have been ill, Noel, you are in pain now."

"I am faint, Nellie, that is all; order tea,

and I shall be better. Glynne left a message

with aunt Scann for you." "Yes, my dear, he did. tion when he came in to

Conceive my situa

say he was going.

'Dear me,' says I. 'Certainly, Miss Scann,' says he, bowing in his grand way, 'you are dear to us all.' Think of that now, Nellie, darling,

'dear to us all,' and I such a useless old

"Well, my dear, to be sure, Daniel said

'Thank you,

Anne.' But here is the urn. She makes tea so nicely, nevey."

"I have no doubt of it, aunt. Nellie, you brought some roses into the room.'

I took them to his chair, kneeling down beside it, as was my wont, while I placed one in the button-hole of his coat.

"Hah! that is it, the very situation; hold her hand, nevey, while I read you this letter."

We both laughed, aunt Scann seemed so suddenly excited.

"Don't laugh, children; you are naughty. My Lord told me himself to make you do it."

I would have shrunk from Noel's side, but he held me fast.

"Is this the message to Nellie ?" asked he, also tremulous from some unknown cause.

"Of course, nevey, he writ it down, saying I should not remember it; and, indeed, he never said a truer thing. Where are my spectacles? Of all the spectacles I ever met, mine are the ones for getting into strange situations.-Oh, here they are peeping out. I remember now, wound my worsted on them, wanting a shred of paper."

I

"Shall I give Noel some tea first ?" I asked. Something told me to delay hearing that message.

"No," said Noel, firmly, "I will have no tea until I hear what Glynne has to say." And he kept me prisoner with his arm round my waist. "Quite right, nevey; that was my Lord's own order. They're slipping out.”

This last remark referred to the spectacles, and they shortly appeared. Not, however, being accustomed to be made into balls, they were somewhat out of shape; and a little time was spent in straightening them, so that they would

sit on their rightful place with dignity and ease. Meanwhile, Noel held me fast, placing roses in the braids of my hair with the other hand. 'Now, nevey, now, listen."

"I listen, aunt."

Aunt Scann read aloud

Mean

Forest, as you sit there, Nellie kneeling by your side, hold her fast, and ask her to be your wife. You love her, but dare not tell her so, fearing she might say 'yes' from compassion. Your love is worth more than that. She will tell you so truly, if she thinks as I do. time, if I deserve anything from either of you for withdrawing the veil from both your faces, if you are happy in the prospect of being one in heart as you are in thoughts and dispositions, you can repay me fully. But it must be done effectually. Thus,-remember, as one numbered with the dead.

"GLYNNE."

"P.S.-Aunt Scann, leave the room."

She read all this through as the child reads its task for the day.

It was only when she finished the postscript that she appeared to understand the purport of the letter.

"Aunt Scann leave the room!' Why, that is me. Why am I to leave the room? Dear me, what a situation! Nevey, nevey, oh, don't! I must leave the room, I see, of course. Why did I not see this before? But my Lord is one of God Almighty's unaccountables, and knows everything! I am going, nevey; where is my ball? Oh, if I was in their situation, and they in mine, what an awful situation we should all be in, if I did not do as my Lord says, and leave the room."

Noel held me fast.

"Nellie, it is true. I love you as something priceless. I love you as if you came straight, a gift from God. I love you as men love eyesight. I love you past the power of mortal tongue to tell, or life to prove how much I do so. Say, will you do Glynne's bidding?"

"What is that?" I whispered.

For in truth, I was in a dream. Aunt Scann's deliberate matter-of-fact reading of the letter bewildered me.