by-and-by there you are. How much better to keep out of harm's way, as I am doing!"

He had occasion to praise his own discreet conduct many times during the next week or two. He did not avoid Juliet; that would look too pointed, and as if there really were serious danger. But he exposed himself as little to her charms as could be done without an equal risk in other directions. And here again Miss Salkirk was an invaluable resource. He could be friendly with her without exciting remark or awakening anxious expectations. She was such a good, cheerful, sensible girl!

The German lessons were continued regularly, though he sometimes felt as if Laura needed relaxation rather than study. How industrious she was; what an excellent daughter, striving in every way to lighten her mother's burdens. He had learned something of the family history, and knew how to estimate her worth. And he honestly wished it were in his power to do something toward brightening a life which had been hitherto too full of care. If the lessons did this, it was in a perfectly legitimate way. They were actual, bona fide lessons, not excuses for flirting at leisure. Laura had been long familiar with her grammar. So there was no room for pretty trifling over ich liebe;" and besides, Mrs. Salkirk was almost always in the room. She was a ladylike woman, whom Frank liked, spite of her habitual quiet and reserve, but he sometimes wished she were not as constant in her attendance. Though, of course, | he did not want to say anything that everybody might not hear.

What progress you make!" he exclaimed, admiringly, one day. "Do you know what I used to think at first?" For he felt that Laura

and he were old friends now.

"What was it?"

"I fancied that German and puddings must interfere with each other."

"Circumstances decide these things for us at first," she said, smiling. "After awhile we get at the true value of life."

"And I am such an idle fellow, blown about by every impulse of self-gratification! So you think the true value is in labor and self-denial?"

"Some elect souls have found it so, I cannot doubt. But I am hardly prepared for such an ascetic statement of my own views. I don't know what you can found it upon."

"So you would allow one a little indulgencea gleam of enjoyment occasionally?"

"Many gleams; a broad, steady glow of it. All the enjoyment not forbidden by some higher duty."

"Ah, there it is-you bring one up against that wall of rock-duty!"

"But it isn't I that build the wall," she said, very gently. Frank did not answer. He watched Mrs. Salkirk roll up her knitting and leave the

room.

Gone to see about tea, Laura knew. Frank did not concern himself with the cause of her absence; he was only thankful for it. Some things, undreamed of before, were growing very plain to his mind. What blindnesswhat ignorance! Could one have believed it possible? He saw clearly enough now, but was the vision likely to avail him?

"Tell me, honestly," he asked, "do you not utterly condemn a life like mine?” "Condemn !" she said, startled. "How should I? What right have I?”

"That isn't the question. I know your goodness and your charity. But do you not feel that it is wasteful and wrong?"

"Since you insist," she answered, coloring "If I had so many gifts and opportunities, I should wish to do more with them. A man has so much in his power!"

"Laura!" he said. She looked up surprised. There was something new in his tone. "Will Do the puddings you help me to do more with them here

"No; nor the German. That is the mystery. How do you manage to combine two such opposing excellencies ?"

after?"

Is it difficult to guess her answer?

She was so good a girl. I like her so well, that I wish I could honestly state that happi

"It is not so difficult when you once try. ness brightened her cheek, deepened the color of Necessity is an excellent teacher."

her eyes, and otherwise lit her up from ugliness to beauty. But I can't do that. She remained plain as ever to the perceptions of all but those who loved her, and they did not trouble themselves greatly about her appearance. A man. to be sure, likes to be able to admire his wife, and Frank found ample exercise for this amiable

H

weakness in the lustre of her hair and the sym- ter of supreme content to Juliet that her estametry of her hands and feet.

THE OLD MAID.

BY FLORENCE PERCY.

WINTER REVERIES.

BY E. MARGARET STARR.

DORA CASTEL.*

BY FRANK LEE BENEDICT.

(Concluded from page 722.)

Dick Orme's wife was there with her little attempts at stinging with sugared words, and yes, there was Dick Orme-Dora saw him bowHe persisted in talking to her-he was seated ing to her but although she had been so anx-nearly opposite, and she could see that he drank ious to know what his first look would reveal, it even more wine than usual. told her very little.

the flash in Dick Orme's eyes, always observant | Granger. "We wont hear him, will we, Mrs. of her, wherever he looked, with whomever he Castel?" talked, and knew that the danger was coming more and more near.

They were discussing a new English novelsome story of a woman's guilty secret, ending in ruin to herself and disgrace to all connected with her-some adventuress that made for herself a place, and kept it until out of her own past rose the ruin which overwhelmed her.

"Yes; we shall want to know how to act when we get in debt," she answered.

She leaned back in her chair, playing with a bunch of grapes and looking straight into Dick Orme's face.

She must have been a French woman," said Mr. Lewis. "Wasn't she a French woman, Orme?" 'Oh, yes; say a French woman, if you like,"

'The best part of the book is that it is na- he answered; "shall we, Mrs. Castel?" tural," Dick Orme exclaimed suddenly.

Everybody was the more astonished because literature was not at all in his way, and he had been drinking champagne while the discussion

went on.

"Mr. Orme is going to astonish us by appearin a new character," Dora could not resist saying; a criticism on a novel! Really, Mr. Orme, I shall expect to find out that you have been a genius in disguise all this while—writing reviews, and hearing us admire them.

"I thought you disliked novels, Mr. Orme," said Mrs. Granger.

"But I do read occasionally, although Mrs. Castel does consider me a dunce," he said, with his wickedest smile at Dora.

"Call her the Queen of Sheba, if you please, only tell us what she did."

It was coming-at least she should be certain what he knew.

She wanted to pay a sum of money—” "Well," said Mrs. Granger; "she pawned her jewels?"

"Got married," suggested somebody.

"No; that wasn't in her line. Make a guess, Mrs. Castel."

She shook her cluster of grapes in a pretty way, and said, carelessly, never once taking her eyes from his face, and making him feel their power through all his rage and the recklessness caused by wine-—“I shan't guess; I'll wait and

"Oh, no; at least I never thought that," she pronounce a verdict." retorted, laughing, but with emphasis.

"At all events," continued he, "I read that book, and I insist upon it that it is natural."

'Ah, very well," said Dora, mockingly; “I retire from the contest. Mr. Orme announces his opinion in so decided a way, that I consider it as convincing as any argument.”

"I think it natural," he went on in a dogged manner," because I once knew of a case that was a parallel, at least."

"Let us hear it," cried Mrs. Granger; "I dote on real stories. You are sure it is true?"

Quite sure," he said; "that would be its only merit in my way of telling-I can only give you the bare details. But Mrs. Castel will laugh at me for getting out of my line." Such an evil smile-did the others see it?"

'I promise not to laugh," she said; "at the same time I reserve to myself the privilege of doubt if it is about a woman-you men never are correct in your judgments."

"Oh, I don't judge! This is the story-the man told me who knew. A lady-a great lady, as the novels would say-courted and spoiled by everybody, found herself getting dreadfully in debt

She committed a forgery!"

The women cried out in horror.

"An utter libel!" exclaimed Mrs. Granger.

Really, Dick," said his wife, "you will never succeed as a conteur if you can't keep nearer probabilities."

She committed a forgery," repeated he.

The cluster of grapes had not even fallen from Dora Castel's white hand-she had not stirred. so much as by a breath.

"

Was she found out?" asked somebody.

Else I should not have heard it, I suppose," said Orme. "Yes; a man found it out—a man who had loved her, and whom she had treated. in the most outrageous way."

"What did he do?" half a dozen inquired at.

"Oh, it's a vile slander!" interrupted Mrs. Granger.

Dora looked at him still. For the life of him, ¦ pose, if they could have known it was the he could not finish-his story was falling flat truth, as you and I did?” and tame enough from the impossibility of rousing the slightest show of emotion in her face.

Perhaps he paid her debts," said Mr Lewis, with the sudden nervous trembling which shook "by way of being heroic."

You two go, and take Miss James to be um- not ashamed of loving you! I'm sick of this pire. I want to go to sleep on the sofa."

Nonsense; I am quite well. Go and play these weeks; you can't go any farther! I swore billiards."

So the three went down stairs again, the billiardtable being on the dining-room floor, and Dora went on up into the great saloon that she hated With the remembrance of Denis Halford beso, with its collection of gilded fripperies, which fore her-with the thought of all that she had made it look, as she always said, like a second-done to escape this wretch, and to be obliged to hand upholstery shop.

'Take care," said he. "Call, and it will be too late; you'll make me so furious I shall Ile walked straight toward her, and sat down speak what can't be taken back.” by her side.

There is nothing you can say to harm me! "The other ladies are playing billiards, she Great heavens," she cried, "if there were, don't you know I'd hear it sooner than such words! That is the reason I Why, if I were drowning, and your hand would save me, and nothing else could, I wouldn't be degraded by its touch!"

"The hand that has held a pen to sign a forged name, can't easily be degraded," he said,

"What did you think of my story?" he with a sneering laugh. There, it's out now!

She was fanning herself negligently, as if let me love you; then you shall give in to my making an effort to keep awake.

"What would they have done, do you sup- "You will have to state distinctly what you mean."