ble near the end of the lounge, Mr. Hardy was
asleep, and she sat down by the table gazing into the open fire
drearily, a look of sorrow and unrest on the face still beautiful but
worn by years of disappointment and the loss of that respect and
admiration she once held for the man who had vowed at the altar to make
her 'happy.' She had not wholly lost her love for him, but she was
fast losing the best part of it, the love which has its daily source in
an inborn respect. When respect is gone, love is not long in following
after.

She sat thus for half an hour, and was at last aroused by the two
girls, Clara and Bess, coming in. They were laughing and talking
together, and had evidently parted with someone at the door. Mrs.
Hardy went out into the hallway.

"Hush, girls, your father is asleep! You know how he feels to be
awakened suddenly by noise. But he has been waiting up for you."

"Then I guess we'll go upstairs without bidding him good-night," said
Clara abruptly. "I don't want to be lectured about going over to the
Caxtons'."

"No; I want to see you both and have a little talk with you. Come in
here." Mrs. Hardy drew the two girls into the front room and pulled
the curtains together over the arch opening into the room where Mr.
Hardy lay. "Now tell me, girls, why did your father forbid your going
over to the Caxtons'? I did not know of it until to-night. Has it
something to do with James?"

Neither of the girls said anything for a minute. Then, Bess, who was
the younger of the two and famous for startling the family with very
sensational remarks, replied, "James and Clara are engaged; and they
are going to be married tomorrow."

Mrs. Hardy looked at Clara, who grew very red in the face, and then, to
the surprise of her mother and Bess, the girl burst out into a violent
fit of crying. Mrs. Hardy gathered her into her arms as in the olden
times when she was a little child and soothed her into quietness.

"Tell me all about it, dear. I did not know you cared for James in
that way."

"But I do," sobbed Clara. "And father guessed something and forbade us
going there any more. But I didn't think he would mind it if Bess and
I went just this one night. I couldn't help it, anyway. Mother, isn't
it right for people to love each other?"

"Tisn't proper to talk about such things on Sunday," said Bess,
solemnly.

"Clara," said Mrs. Hardy, "why, you're only a child yet! Is it true
that James is