, starting suddenly as another
letter, soiled and unsealed, met her eye. She read Bell's first, and
then, with a throbbing heart, which as yet would not believe, she took
up Mark's, and understanding now much that was before mysterious to her.
Juno's call, too, came to her mind, and though she was unwilling to
charge so foul a wrong upon that young lady, she could find no other
solution to the mystery. There was a glow of indignation--Helen had
scarcely been mortal without it; but that passed away in pity for the
misguided girl and in joy at the happiness opening so broadly before
her. That Mark would come to Silverton she had no hope, but he would
surely write--his letter, perhaps, was even then on the way; and kissing
the one she held she hid it in her bosom and went up to where the organ
boy had for several minutes been kicking at stools and books, and
whistling "Old John Brown" by way of attracting attention. The boy was
in a hurry, and asked in so forlorn a tone: "Is we going to play?" that
Helen answered good-humoredly: "Just a few minutes, Billy. I want to try
the carol and the opening, which I've hardly played at all."

With an air of submission Bill took his post and Helen began to play,
but she could only see before her: "I have loved you ever since that
morning when I put the lilies in your hair," and she played so out of
time and tune that Billy asked: "What makes 'em go so bad?"

"I can't play now; I'm not in the mood," she said at last. "I shall
feel better by and by. You can go home if you like."

Billy needed no second bidding, but catching up his cap ran down the
stairs and out into the porch, just as up the step a young man came
hurriedly, the horse he had hitched to a tree smoking from exercise and
himself looking eager and excited.

"Hello, boy," he cried, grasping the collar of Bill's roundabout and
holding him fast, "who's in the church?"

"Darn yer, old Jim Sykes, you let me be, or I'll--" the boy began, but
when he saw his captor was not Jim Sykes, but a tall, fine-looking man,
wearing a soldier's uniform, he changed his tone, and standing still,
answered civilly: "I thought you was Jim Sykes, the biggest bully in
town, who is allus hectorin' us boys. Nobody is there but she--Miss
Lennox--up where the organ is," and having given the desired
information, Bill ran off, wondering first if it wasn't Miss Helen's
beau, and wondering next, in case she should some time get married in
church, if he