ul face, on which the man at her side
gazed with open admiration. The close-fitting cap, with its bright red
bow, indicated that the girl had not yet reached her eighteenth year.
Here and there peeped out little truant locks of the glossy black hair,
whose richness and abundance the close covering could not entirely
conceal or fetter. The broad, intellectual brow; the delicate,
pencilled lashes, from the shadow of which shone forth lustrous black
eyes that flashed with intelligence and spirit; the arched nose, with
its slightly dilated nostrils; pouting mouth, with full, cherry lips,
all gave her something of a proud expression, which was, however,
softened by the beaming smile which so often lighted it up. Although
only a faint color tinged her cheek, yet the clear, brunette complexion
glowed with fresh, warm, young life, and the slender, lithe form that
leaned with such childlike abandon against the old tree displayed the
most exquisite symmetry.

"Yes, this present life is certainly very pleasant, dear sister," he
resumed, approaching yet nearer to her; and he indeed seemed to find it
so as he contemplated this fair, blooming, delightful young creature.
"We do wisely to enjoy it, and use it as a means to prepare us for the
great hereafter, accomplishing that end all the more effectually when
we love the Lord, and, through Him, one another. Sister Carmen, did
you listen to the beautiful discourse on brotherly and sisterly love
which our honored presbyter gave us to-day?" and the speaker bent his
head so low that she felt his hot breath on her cheek, and his heavy
hand on her shoulder. But quickly turning aside and withdrawing from
his touch, she replied: "Yes, I heard it, and it is indeed a very good
and proper thing to love one another; but I think it is not always love
which is called so, or seems so;" and her mouth twitched with a
repressed smile, as if some secret thought amused her.

"Dear sister, how can you speak thus?" he said. "Men, it is true, are
weak, and often swerve from their duty; but we should help each other
in the spirit of love, so that we may be all united and grow to
resemble each other in character."

"Resemble each other in character!" She repeated his words musingly,
and the gaze from her dark eyes wandered away off, beyond her
companion. "Can we ever do that? God has created us so different; if
He had wished us all to be alike, would He not have made us so?"

The man looked at h