V.'
evening, singing a low lullaby, though tin blue eyes
were already rinsed in sivp;and gazing lovingly down
into tin- iink dimpled (,uv, Some line h ntl tin- door
softly and Mililrcil km it was Max. Slit- held tip
warning linger. Quietly In drew a rliair tn her side,
stooping to kixx nut- dimpled baby hand, lie wrmcd
unusually silent ami by ami by she noticed it.
"An- you very tired to-night, Max?" she asked
suddenly.
" Yi n, Millie, I am I inl, wry tired."
" What have ymi ltii doing to-day ?"
"Just w hat I have Urn doing ho long, Millie,
Mailing, waiting !"
She gave liim a quirk startled glnmv. ' Waiting?"
she interrogated.
" Yen, and oh Millie ! I am ho tired. 1 have loved
you and waited f,,r you mi long. Tell me, oh tell me,
timet I wait forever?" lie pauxed ax nhe turned her
fair away ami grew deadly pale. Presently he re
HUined ; " do not want to hurt you, Millie, I know
your heart in xtill xorc, and that you w ill never care
for me iih you did for Tom; hut I am willing to take
what little heart you have to give and truxt to time
for the n ut, only give me the right to .are for you and
make your life brighter. We might he very happy
Vet, y , T, t and I."
Again he pauxd Uking wixtfully toward her, and
mill nhe did not xjruk.
" Ar. you angry, Mildred ?" e never naid " Mil
dhsl" nave when terribly in earnext, and then' wan a
tn inor in hi Voice, t m i
She turned Hr fmv toward him, and he nan that
her eyi H werv full of unxhisl tears.
" No, I riii not angry Max, how -ntild I,. wit, ,v
l.-nt and truest living friend ? Knowing (he p,,xt asyu
do, and knowing I,.,, that rtl, h,.V(,r V"
if yu Htill want me to L.ine your wife, I will."
"(i,x l.leMV.ni Mildml. I'll take the risks"
A f. w w.,1. later therv wan a grvt wedding i the
U-arding hou. jrlor, and among the flM lo ,.r ,..
gratulalion. was M, Vl lt.1(k fruu
Mason', detaining hand. rush., Uward , x. lau.ir.jj :
" II'V. 'oil Vt li,,,,,,,,, ,rt, ,r h(i, )o rt n , ((;
up iv 'ou Me fM 'uM f-i I sorry." nhe added sing
t. m in Mildred', rv. x. she Lnt t ki .r T.
rvst of the time nhe nat n, tnumph o., M.1X' ....iil..-r
Mr. M...,i cnld not Uar to U- .,,,,,.,, frii
li.-riMily daughter, and . tl. nillil(, ,m ( (
M .i Mtlr on a farm i V.U ri, Ong,,,, ,. N,M
lHr,.U.v lSa., Francis.,,, and with her
yarid vomiiit., tM ln
M.ldn, wa. very happy i.,M r new hn,e, , her
husband..,, learned th Jh. U uUtli( ,riiU,.
hr irvrr M..kr ,.f T.m. and , ilt) '
tics mint' into her life she thought of him only oa t
sweet, sacred memory.
Ah for I'd, nhe was the joy of their home, the light
of every eye, and it moat exquisite little beauty. When
i fourteen years of age Max and Mildred felt that they
; eoiild teach her no more at home; nor could she learn
; anything in the school near by, and us she was to lie
! educated, they sent her to Salem, bringing her home
! for vacations. Iee was in business in that city so it
i was " most as good as lieing at home," she said. She
was most devotedly attached to the whole family.
At sixteen she was quite an accomplished musician
at least in the eyes of the home people and indeed
her talent in that direction was quite remarkable; es
jiecially was she an adept on the violin. It was (lie
last time that av brought her to the farm that he sur
prised her by telling her he wanted her to lx his wife,
that he had loved her ever since she was two years uli
(they had always reckoned her to have been that when
found) and had waited for her. She would scarcely
have Ixrn more surprised at such a declaration from
I'ncle Max, she said. She had looked ujHm I,ec as one
of the family and loved him accordingly; but as for
11 ,,l,,r "he 1'?H him with tears not to mention it.
UenieinlK.riiig that Max waited long for bis sister he
took heart; knowing that if I'ct did not love him she
was still fancy free elsewhere. But his complinvnry
was short-lived, for when Mrs. Mason's sister from the
i'hhI, w ho was sending the summer at the farm. I-,-.,!
t" take the girl home with her for two years, Max and
Millie put their own Mings aside and consented.
"She's lost to me now," groaned, "she'll fall
in love with some snob out there with neither money,
brains nor heart." As for I'ct, she was not anxious to
go. it was t.x, far front " Auntie," and the leave-taking
was pitiful enough.
Mrs. Dnqx r was a wealthy, worldly woman having
'l"glitcr. and hut one son. She had honestly fan
' ,,,,HU,ifl11 voting crvnture, and felt that to
"Hl heru,,,Hm "bring her out," would be a real
pleasure.
" Arthur," xhe remarked to her son the day after
"ramval home. "I have brought this pretty child
" re, hut 1 wan, lm ummm of course you must
l"T alx.ut Home; but no falling i love la-cause she
pretty face. You are to introduce her as your
cousin, Mihx Mam,,,, ntj ,hl unfrlunutl, of
f ,N'1" ""'""'.Vp child-a mert. waif cast up bv .s, an
w "; ' Is- tncntioniMl. I hvt. ,aik(Hl this'inatter
"I'Kand though I had quite a time to in
; m' her t., uxe the name Mason instead of Itrownir g.
I overcame her m nip at hist."
-Jhur Dnqnr iHt..l to , tH-r rati.-r
''"Ktl'yMnarkswithaqUiHit,a H,uile.
rn. f,.rm' they say. So I ,n,t
i i