"I have two letters for you," he continued; "one from your brother,

and one from J.C."

"From J.C.!" she repeated. "Has he gone back? Why didn't he call on

me?"

"He's a villain," thought James De Vere, but he answered simply, "He

had not time, and so wrote you instead," and sitting down beside her

he regarded her with a look in which pity, admiration, and love were

all blended--the former predominating at that moment, and causing

him to lay his hand caressingly on her forehead, saying as he did

so, "Your head aches, don't it, Maude?"

Maude's heart was already full, and at this little act of sympathy

she burst into tears, while James, drawing her to his side and

resting her head upon his bosom, soothed her as he would have done

had she been his only sister. He fancied that he knew the cause of

her grief, and his heart swelled with indignation toward J.C., who

had that day shown himself unworthy of a girl like Maude.

He had come to Hampton without any definite idea as to whether he should

see her or not ere his return, but when, as the omnibus drew near

the schoolhouse and Maude was plainly visible through the open

window, one of the ladies made some slighting remark concerning

school-teachers generally, he determined not to hazard an interview,

and quieted his conscience by thinking he would come out in a few

days and make the matter right. How then was he chagrined when in

the presence of his companions his cousin said: "Shall I send for

Miss Remington? She can dismiss her school earlier than usual and

come up to tea."

"Dismiss her school!" cried one of the young ladies, while the

other, the proud Miss Thayer, whose grandfather was a pedlar and

whose great-uncle had been hanged, exclaimed, "Miss Remington! Pray

who is she? That schoolmistress we saw in passing? Really, Mr. De

Vere, you have been careful not to tell us of this new acquaintance.

Where did you pick her up?" and the diamonds on her fingers shone

brightly in the sunshine as she playfully pulled a lock of J.C.'s

hair.

The disconcerted J.C. was about stammering out some reply when

James, astonished both at the apparent ignorance of his guests and

the strangeness of his cousin's manner, answered for him, "Miss

Remington is our teacher, and a splendid girl. J.C. became

acquainted with her last summer at Laurel Hill. She is a stepsister

of Miss Kennedy, whom you probably know."




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