e dark
eyes regarding her so searchingly must read with what hopes she had
come, and how those hopes had died. She was glad Darrell was not at
home; she could not have met him then and there. But so quiet were her
words and manner, so like her usual demeanor, that Mrs. Britton said to
herself, as Marion took leave,--

"I was right; she cares for Darrell only as a mere acquaintance."

On her return she entered the parlor of her own home and stood for some
moments gazing silently about her. How shabby, how pitiably bare and
meagre and colorless! An emblem of her own life! Throwing herself upon
the threadbare little sofa where she and Darrell had spent so many happy
hours reviewing their studies and talking of hopes and plans for the
future, she burst into such bitter, passionate weeping as only natures
like hers can know.

Darrell's trip proved successful beyond his anticipations. He found the
leading members of the syndicate, to whom he explained his two years'
absence and into whose possession he gave the money intrusted to his
keeping. So delighted were they to see him after having given him up for
dead, and so pleased were they with his honesty and integrity that they
tendered him his old position with them, offering to continue his
salary from the date of his western commission. This offer he promptly
declined, declaring that he would undertake no commissions or enter into
no business agreements during his mother's present state of health.

He had taken with him the completed manuscript of his geological work,
and this, through the influence of one or two members of the syndicate,
he succeeded in placing with a publishing house making a specialty of
scientific works.

These facts, communicated to his parents, soon reached Miss Jewett,
filling her with a pride and delight that knew no bounds. Ellisburg had
no daily paper, but it possessed a few individuals of the gentler sex
who as advertising mediums answered almost as well, and whom Miss Jewett
included among her acquaintance. She suddenly remembered a number of
calls which her household duties had hitherto prevented her returning,
and decided that this was the most opportune time for paying them.
Ordering her carriage and donning her best black silk gown, she
proceeded with due ceremony to make her round of calls, judiciously
dropping a few words here and there, which, like the seed sown on good
ground, brought forth fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold. A