n him a call to be their pastor, that he has
accepted, and what is best of all, has actually rented your old home for
us to live in. I don't know how it will seem to stop on Sundays at the
meeting house instead of keeping on to our dear, old St. Luke's. I love
the service dearly, but I love my Charlie more, notwithstanding that he
calls me his little heretic, and accuses me of proselytizing intentions
towards himself. I have never confessed it before, but, seriously, I
have strong hopes of seeing him yet in surplice and gown; but till that
time comes, I shall be a real good Presbyterian, or orthodox, as they
are called here in Massachusetts.

"Perhaps you may have heard that mother was once much opposed to
Charlie. I must say, however, that she has done well at the last, for
when I told her I had found him, and that we were to be married, she
said she was glad on the whole, as it relieved her of a load, and she
hoped I would be happy."

Anna did not explain to Alice that the load of which her mother was
relieved was mostly Charlie's hidden letters, given up with a full
confession of the pains taken to conceal them, and a frank
acknowledgment of wrong to Anna, who, as her letter indicated, was far
too happy to be angry for a single moment. With a smile, Alice finished
the childlike letter, so much like Anna. Then feeling that Hugh would be
glad to hear from Willie, she went in quest of him, finding him at the
end of the long piazza, where he sat gazing vacantly at the open letter
in his hand--Irving Stanley's letter, which he passed at once to Alice
in exchange for Anna's given to him.

Glancing at the name at the bottom of the page, Alice blushed painfully,
feeling rather than seeing that Hugh was watching her, and guessing of
what he was thinking. Irving did not know of 'Lina's death. From Dr.
Richards, whom he had accidentally met on Broadway, he had heard of her
sudden illness, and apparently accepted that as the reason why the
marriage was not consummated. Intuitively, however, he felt that there
must be something behind, but he was far too well-bred to ask any idle
questions, and in his letter he merely inquired after 'Lina, as after
any sick friend, playfully hoping that for the sake of the doctor, who
looked very blue, she would soon recover and make him the happiest man
alive. Then followed some allusions to the relationship existing between
himself and Hugh, with regrets that more had not been made of it, and