ry with me;" and she
held her hand a little nearer to him.

Pastor Martens took the hand, and pressed it gently between his own.

"You know I mean to be kind to you, Miss Madeleine," said he, in an
earnest and soothing tone.

"Yes, yes, I know you do. But do you believe--" and her eye rested on
him with an earnest expression.

"I am afraid your mind is disturbed; but I hope that I may be able to be
a trustworthy guide for you through life. You have been unwilling to
accept me, and I will not importune you; but I must tell you that
everything I have is at your service."

"But if I am unable--but if it is too much for me. No, I cannot!" she
replied, hiding her face in her hands.

His voice was kind, almost fatherly in its tone, as he moved nearer to
her and said, "Tell me, Madeleine, do not you feel as if it was almost a
dispensation of Providence? When I asked you for your hand, you rejected
my offer hastily--without consideration, may I venture to say? That hand
now lies in mine." She made an attempt to withdraw it, but he held it
fast. "Here are we again brought together. Is it not as if you were
destined to be mine--you who are so lonely and forsaken amongst your own
relations? You do feel lonely, Madeleine, do you not?"

"Oh yes; I do feel lonely--so dreadfully lonely," said she,
disconsolately; and whether he now drew her to him, or whether she gave
way of herself, she now lay with her head on his shoulder, wearied and
helpless. And, as his voice sounded bland and soothing in her ears, she
seemed to recover her breath, as if after a long period of oppression.

In a moment she was on her feet: he had ventured to kiss her brow. He
also rose, but still retained his grasp of her hand.

"We will not tell any one about it to-day," he said reassuringly,
"because of the affliction which has come upon your family. But we had
better go to Mrs. Garman, and ask her blessing. With respect to your
father----"

"No! no!" she cried; "father must not know anything about it! Oh,
heavens! what have I done?" she murmured, holding her hand before her
eyes.

A bland smile passed over his face as he took her arm in his. "You are
still a little discomposed, child, but it will soon pass away." He then
led her to Mrs. Garman's room.

"Could not we wait till to-morrow? My head is so painful," entreated
Madeleine.

"We will only just show ourselves to your aunt," said he, quietly but
decidedly, as he opened the door.

They f