ce. Only one day Fern saw a shadow
cross the hall window as she got into the carriage, and felt with a
beating heart that Erle was watching her.

That very morning her mother had been speaking to her of Erle's
generosity; indeed the subject could not be avoided. "He wanted me to
take half his fortune," Mrs. Trafford had said, with some emotion; "he
is bitterly disappointed at the smallness of the sum I named; do you
think I am right to take anything, Fern? My darling, it is for your
sake, and because I have no more strength for work, and I feel I can
no longer endure privation for my children."

"I think you are right, mother; it would not be kind to refuse," Fern
returned, quietly; and then she tried to feel some interest in the
plans Mrs. Trafford was making for the future. They would go down to
Hastings for the rest of the winter--Fern had never seen the sea--and
then they would look out for some pretty cottage in the country where
they could keep poultry and bees, and perhaps a cow, and Fern and she
could teach in the village school, and make themselves very busy; and
the mother's pale face twitched as she drew this little picture, for
there was no responsive light in the soft gray eyes, and the frank,
beautiful mouth was silent.

"Yes, mother," she at last answered, throwing her arms round her
mother's neck; "and I will spend my whole life in taking care of you."

She was thinking over this conversation now, as she looked out at the
snow, when her attention was attracted by a private brougham, with a
coronet on the panel, that stopped before Mrs. Watkins's, and the next
moment a tall girl, very quietly dressed, entered the house.

Fern's heart beat quickly. Was it possible that it could be Miss
Selby? But before she could ask herself the question, there was a
light tap at the door, and the girl had entered, and was holding out
both her hands to Fern.

"Miss Trafford, will you forgive this intrusion? But I feel as though
we knew each other without any introduction. I am Evelyn Selby; I dare
say you have heard my name from"--with a pause--"Mr. Huntingdon."

"Oh, yes, I have heard of you," returned Fern, with a sudden blush.
This was Erle's future wife, then--this girl with the tall graceful
figure and pale high-bred face that, in spite of its unusual paleness,
looked very beautiful in Fern's eyes. Ah, no wonder he loved her!
Those clear brown eyes were very candid and true. There could be no
comparison betwee