h sacrifice should be a joy.
But that this should be the kind of sacrifice! Even through her
wretchedness the humor of it penetrated, and a woe-begone smile
fluttered over her lips.

The singing words came to her again.

"Let me be possessed by love, mounting above myself."

"Let me love thee more than myself, and love myself only for thee."

She kneeled upright and rested her folded arms upon the railing. Peace
seemed to be flowing in upon her, and a purpose grew into form within
her mind. With increasing control she rose to her feet.

"If my love is worth anything it can do even that."

Her uplifted face shone strong and beautiful as she left the splendor
without, and knelt beside her bed.

"O God, I thank thee that thou hast granted me the power to love. Help
me now, I implore thee, to make use of this, my dearest treasure, for
the joy of others."

XXI

A Poke Party

Friedrich was sitting at his solitary breakfast. He had grown expert in
the daily preparation of bacon, eggs, cornbread, and coffee; but that
is a poor feast which is denied the sauce of companionship, and he
dallied with his spoon, while he stared gloomily through the open door.
The jaded green of the late September foliage harmonized with his mood
of depression.

He went to Oakwood now only so often as courteous attention to his
sister-in-law--poor little girl!--seemed to demand. Sydney avoided him;
and John, who still lingered, although the Schuylers had gone north
long before, gave him the black looks of a jealous rival. Hilda, though
never assuming before him the part of betrothed which every one
assigned to her, nevertheless made him feel the bond by which he had
engaged himself,--a net as fine as silk and as strong as steel; an
enmeshment of chivalry and sympathy and love for his good word.

He made his new business the excuse for his infrequent visits. It was
no subterfuge, for even in the short period of two months the "McRae
Cattle" were earning encomiums, from those who knew stock, for their
good condition and the flavor of their beef. Both on the Baron's place
and at Cotswold long shelter-sheds were being erected for winter
protection; and at Cotswold, whose larger size warranted the
establishment of a more extensive plant, the firm had put in a small
stationary engine to cut the feed, and was building a silo for the
preservation of the winter supplies. A dehorning machine, which caused
a moment of present torture for