her, a poor little outcast, to think of
Ralph Harrington, when his mother is opposed to it utterly, and his
father almost treats the whole subject with ridicule. Ralph has told her
faithfully every word that passed between him and his father, and her
delicate intuition detects the uncertainty and hollowness of it all.
With these honorable feelings warring against the newly-awakened love
in her heart, it is no wonder that gentle Lina trembled, and grew red
and white again in the presence of her lover.

"Lina, dear, dear, Lina."

She reached out her hand. How could she resist beneath that bright,
hopeful look? Her lips, that had begun to quiver, dimpled into a smile,
as the soft fingers yielded themselves to his clasp. She attempted to
reprove his coming, but that rebellious little mouth would only say
"Ralph! oh, Ralph!" with a gush of tender joy in the words, which made
the heart leap in his bosom, like a prisoned bird called suddenly by its
mate.

"Lina, dear, dear, Lina! you look sad. Your poor eyes are heavy. You can
bear this no longer. I am a man, and strong, but it almost kills me to
be away from you. The General is away. I believe my mother is in her
room. Come with me. Anything is better than seeing you suffer."

Lina drew back, and tried to wrest her hand from his grasp, but he only
held it more firmly.

"No, no. I do not suffer any, hardly. Go away, Ralph, dear Ralph, go
away, or it will kill me."

"I do not wish to see you unauthorized. Come to my mother, Lina!"

"No, no, I dare not. It kills me to remember that look."

"But I can endure these restraints no longer, Lina. My father, at least,
does not withhold a conditional consent--surely our mother, the dearest
and best woman that ever drew breath, will not be less generous. At any
rate, we will know the worst. Come, Lina."

The young man, with his untamed will, drew the timid Lina firmly, but
tenderly, from her vantage ground in the room, and hurried her away
toward his mother's room.

Mabel was sitting up, calm and pale, like one who ceases to resist,
though in the midst of a storm. She arose to receive her son with a
gentle smile, and glanced kindly at Lina.

Ralph, full of impetuous warmth, threw his arm around the young girl,
and brought her forward with gentle force.

"Mother, you have always loved her; now let it be more than ever, for my
sake. She is all the world to me."

They were looking upward to Mabel's face--the one boldly and w