een us."

"I DO understand that, too, Leslie. Now, we'll just shut up the past
and forget what was unpleasant in it. It's all going to be different.
We're both of the race of Joseph now. I think you've been
wonderful--wonderful. And, Leslie, I can't help believing that life
has something good and beautiful for you yet."

Leslie shook her head.

"No," she said dully. "There isn't any hope. Dick will never be
better--and even if his memory were to come back--oh, Anne, it would be
worse, even worse, than it is now. This is something you can't
understand, you happy bride. Anne, did Miss Cornelia ever tell you how
I came to marry Dick?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad--I wanted you to know--but I couldn't bring myself to talk of
it if you hadn't known. Anne, it seems to me that ever since I was
twelve years old life has been bitter. Before that I had a happy
childhood. We were very poor--but we didn't mind. Father was so
splendid--so clever and loving and sympathetic. We were chums as far
back as I can remember. And mother was so sweet. She was very, very
beautiful. I look like her, but I am not so beautiful as she was."

"Miss Cornelia says you are far more beautiful."

"She is mistaken--or prejudiced. I think my figure IS better--mother
was slight and bent by hard work--but she had the face of an angel. I
used just to look up at her in worship. We all worshipped her,--father
and Kenneth and I."

Anne remembered that Miss Cornelia had given her a very different
impression of Leslie's mother. But had not love the truer vision?
Still, it WAS selfish of Rose West to make her daughter marry Dick
Moore.

"Kenneth was my brother," went on Leslie. "Oh, I can't tell you how I
loved him. And he was cruelly killed. Do you know how?"

"Yes."

"Anne, I saw his little face as the wheel went over him. He fell on
his back. Anne--Anne--I can see it now. I shall always see it. Anne,
all I ask of heaven is that that recollection shall be blotted out of
my memory. O my God!"

"Leslie, don't speak of it. I know the story--don't go into details
that only harrow your soul up unavailingly. It WILL be blotted out."

After a moment's struggle, Leslie regained a measure of self-control.

"Then father's health got worse and he grew despondent--his mind became
unbalanced--you've heard all that, too?"

"Yes."

"After that I had just mother to live for. But I was very ambitious.
I meant to teach and earn my way th