ages in attendance, and had, as he supposed, every
one of them, gone off without offering this poor lonely creature a seat,
leaving her to get home through the night and storm as she could.

As they walked on he felt Mary Grey's arm trembling upon his own, and
involuntarily he drew it closer, and, in so doing, he perceived the
tremor and jar of her fast-beating heart, and he pitied her with a deep,
tender, manly pity.

"I am afraid you feel chilled in this rain," he said, by way of saying
something kind.

"No," she answered, softly, and said no more.

They got to the door of her dwelling, and he rang the bell and waited
there with her until some one should come.

"I am very much indebted to you, Mr. Lytton," she said, softly and
coolly; "but I am also very sorry to have given you so much trouble."

"I assure you it was no trouble; and I beg that you will not again
attempt to go alone at night through the streets of Charlottesville," he
answered, sadly.

"But why?" she asked. "What harm or danger can there be in my doing so?"

"Ladies never go out alone at night here. Many of the wild students are
on the streets at night and are not always in their senses."

"Oh, I see! Well, I will try to take care of myself. I hear the page
coming to open the door. Good-night, Mr. Lytton. You have been very
kind. I thank you very much," said Mrs. Grey, coldly.

He touched his hat and turned away just as the door was opened.

Alden Lytton went back to the college with somewhat kinder thoughts of
Mary Grey.

And Mrs. Grey went into the house and into the back parlor, where the
bishop's widow was waiting up for her.

"Why, my dear, your shoes are wet through and your skirts are draggled
up to your knees! Is it possible you walked home through the rain?"
inquired the lady.

"Yes, madam; but it will not hurt me."

"But how came you to walk home when Mrs. Doctor Sage promised faithfully
to bring you home in her carriage?"

"Oh, my dear friend, the storm came up, and so many people were afraid
of wetting their feet that I gave up my seat to another lady," answered
Mary Grey.

"Always the same self-sacrificing spirit! Well, my dear, I hope your
reward will come in the next world, if not in this. Now go upstairs and
take off your wet clothes and get right to bed. I will send you up a
glass of hot spiced wine, which will prevent you from taking cold," said
the hospitable old lady.

Mary Grey kissed her hostess, said good-n