e school
house had awakened, that he passed the ominous mansion which had been
his dread, and the bank where he had worked, and the arbor by the side
of the road where he had sat out the first hours of his fatal courtship,
almost without realizing their presence, and was at the end of the
street and in full view of the humble cottage which the little Paula had
pointed out as her home on that day of their first acquaintance.

"Good heaven! and I do not even know if she is alive," he suddenly
ejaculated, stopping where he was and eying the lowly walls before him
with a quick realization of the possibilities of a great disappointment.
"Ten years have strown many a grave on the hillside and Ona would not
mention it if she lost every relative she had in this town. What a fool
I have been," thought he.

But with the stern resolution which had carried him through many a
difficulty, he prepared to advance, when he was again arrested by seeing
the door of the house he was contemplating, suddenly open and a girlish
figure issue forth. Could it be Paula? With eager, almost feverish
interest he watched her approach. She was a slight young thing and came
towards him with a rapid movement almost jaunty in its freedom. If it
were Paula, he would know her by her eyes, but for some reason he hoped
it was not she, not the child of his dreams.

At a yard or two in front of him she paused astonished. This grave, tall
figure with the melancholy brow, deep eyes and firmly compressed lips
was an unaccustomed sight in this primitive town. Scarcely realizing
what she did she gave a little courtesy and was proceeding on when he
stopped her with a hurried gesture.

"Is Mrs. Fairchild still living?" he asked, indicating the house she had
just left.

"Mrs. Fairchild? O no," she returned, surveying him out of the corner of
a very roguish pair of brown eyes, with a certain sly wonder at the
suspense in his voice. "She has been dead as long as I can remember. Old
Miss Abby and her sister live there now."

"And who are they?" he hurriedly asked; he could not bring himself to
mention Paula's name.

"Why, Miss Abby and Miss Belinda," she returned with a puzzled air.
"Miss Abby sews and Miss Belinda teaches the school. I don't know
anything more about them, sir."

The courteous gentleman bowed. "And they live there quite alone?"

"O no sir, Paula lives with them."

"Ah, she does;" and the young girl looking at him could not detect the
sligh