ing the face softly in his palms,
looked long and earnestly at its fascinating beauty. The great, glistening
blue eyes gazed into his, and the silky lashes and rich scarlet lips
trembled. He felt the hot blood surging like a lava-tide in his veins, and
his heart rising in fierce rebellion at the stern interdict which he saw
fit to lay upon it; but no token of all this came to the cool, calm
surface.

"Good-bye, Irene. May God bless you, my dear little friend!"

He drew the face close to his own as though he would have kissed her, but
forbore, and merely raising her hands to his lips turned and left the room.
Verily, greater is "he that ruleth his own spirit than he that taketh a
city." He left before breakfast the ensuing morning, bearing his secret
with him, having given no intimation, by word or look, of the struggle
which his resolution cost him. Once his mother had fancied that he felt
more than a friendly interest in their guest, but the absolute repose of
his countenance and grave serenity of his manner during the last week of
his stay dispersed all her suspicions. From a luxurious home, fond friends,
and the girlish face he loved better than his life, the minister went forth
to his distant post, offering in sacrifice to God, upon the altar of duty,
his throbbing heart and hopes of earthly happiness.

A cloud of sadness settled on the household after his departure, and
scarcely less than Louisa's was Irene's silent grief. The confinement grew
doubly irksome when his voice and step had passed from the threshold, and
she looked forward impatiently to her release. The sprain proved more
serious than she at first imagined, and the summer vacation set in before
she was able to walk with ease. Mr. Huntingdon had been apprised of her
long absence from school, and one day, when she was cautiously trying her
strength, he arrived, without having given premonition of his visit. As he
took her in his arms and marked the alteration in her thin face, the
listlessness of her manner, the sorrowful gravity of her countenance, his
fears were fully aroused, and, holding her to his heart, he exclaimed--

"My daughter! my beauty! I must take you out of New York."

"Yes, father, take me home; do take me home." She clasped her arms round
his neck and nestled her face close to his.

"Not yet, queen. We will go to the Catskill, to Lake George, to Niagara. A
few weeks' travel will invigorate you. I have written to Hugh to meet us at
M