ave only known it within a few days, but I
think I have loved you ever since we first met, only those confounded
theories of mine blinded me."

"Well--but what are you going to do about it?" questioned Cyn, unable
yet to recover from her bewilderment.

Jo looked at her, wistfully.

"I know I am homely, Cyn, and I am poor; I have nothing to offer you but
an honest, loving and true heart. I suppose a man who is in love is
naturally unreasonable--I never was in love before, you know--but an
extravagant hope will whisper to me, that even this little might not be
unappreciated by you."

And as he spoke, Jo's face was so transfigured that it could no longer
be called plain. Cyn gazed at him in wonder, and recovering partly from
her first surprise, an unusual seriousness came over her own handsome
face, as she answered earnestly,

"It is not unappreciated! oh, no, Jo! Nothing to offer me but an honest,
loving and true heart, you say? why, that is everything!"

"Then will you accept it? May I try and win your love?" he asked
eagerly, advancing close to her. "I will work very hard to make myself
worthy of it, and to win a name you need not be ashamed to bear. I lay
myself, my life at your feet, Cyn."

"And this is unsentimental Jo!" Cyn exclaimed involuntarily.

"This is unsentimental Jo," he answered, in all humility. "Do with him
what you will; he is all yours."

Into Cyn's expressive eyes came some deeply-stirred emotion.

"I am so sorry;" she said, sadly, "so very, very sorry! what shall I
say? what shall I do? I like you so much as a friend! But what you ask,
Jo, could never be!"

The sun sank behind the distant hills, and a shadow, such as had fallen
over the woods behind them, settled on Jo's face.

"The idea is new to you. At least, think it over. Do not leave me
without a little hope," he entreated.

"Jo, I wish--yes! I _do_ wish that I could love you as you deserve to be
loved," said Cyn, earnestly. "But it cannot be! it never could be! Do
not deceive yourself with false hopes. Friends always, Jo, but lovers
never!"

"Ah!" exclaimed Jo, bitterly, unable to restrain his jealousy, "it is
Clem who stands between us!"

"_Clem_ who stands between us!" echoed Cyn, astounded for the second time
that day.

"There--now I have lowered myself in your estimation; I am but a
blundering fool, Cyn. You see I am selfish in my love; and I have not
yet become sentimental enough to be willing to see another fellow wi