rstood. These reminiscences of Everett Gray
relate to a long past time. We can look on his life now as almost
complete and finished, and regard his past as those in the valley look
up to the hill that has nothing between it and heaven.

Many years he remained in Canada, working hard. Tidings occasionally
reached England of his progress. Rosa, perhaps, heard such at rare
intervals,--though somewhat distorted, it may be, from their original
tenor, before they reached her. But it appeared certain that he was
"getting on." In defiance and utter contradiction of all the sapient
predictions there anent, it seemed that this dreamy, poetizing Everett
Gray was absolutely successful in his new vocation of man-of-business.

The news that he had become a partner in the firm he had entered as a
clerk was communicated in a letter from himself to Lady Beauchamp. In it
he, for the first time since his departure, spoke of Rosa; but he spoke
of her as if they had parted but yesterday; and, in asking her mother's
sanction to their betrothal _now_, urged, as from them both, their claim
to have that boon granted at last.

Lady Beauchamp hastily questioned her daughter.

"You must have been corresponding with the young man all this time?" she
said.

But Rosa's denial was not to be mistaken.

"He has heard of you, then, through some one," the practical lady went
on; "or, for anything he knows, you may be married, or going to be
married, instead of waiting for him, as he seems to take it for granted
you have been all this time."

"He was right, mother," Rosa only said.

"Right, you foolish girl? You haven't half the spirit I had at your age.
I would have scorned that it should have been said of _me_ that I
'waited' for any man."

"But if you loved him?"

"Well, if he loved _you_, he should have taken more care than to leave
you on such a Quixotic search for independence as his."

"He thought it right to go, and he trusted me; we had faith in one
another," Rosa said; and she wound her arms round her mother, and looked
into her face with eyes lustrous with happy tears. For, from that lady's
tone and manner, despite her harsh words, she knew that the opposition
was withdrawn, and that Everett's petition was granted.

They were married. It is years ago, now, since their wedding-bells rung
out from the church-tower of Hazlewood, blending with the sweet
spring-air and sunshine of a joyous May-day. The first few years of
their married