her audience surrounding
him, when the great and small rockets of his daily life go off with such
disproportionate effect.

Perhaps it was chance that not only produced the previous circumstances
of that day, but so ordered that Bell Crawford should be the first to
vacate the outer room, leaving that extraordinary couple alone together.
Perhaps it was chance that led them to take seats beside each other at
the window, when they might so easily have found room to sit with some
distance between them. Perhaps it was chance that made the lightning
flash in long lines of blinding light across the sky, and sent the
thunder booming and crashing above the roofs of the houses, producing
that indefinable feeling that needed companionship--that "huddling
together" which even the terrible beasts of the East Indian jungles show
in the midst of the fearful tornadoes of that region. Perhaps it was
chance that, after a moment or two of silence, induced Tom Leslie,
without well knowing why he did it, to lay his open palm on his knee,
and to look for a moment with a glance of inquiry, full in the eyes of
the young girl who sat at his right, as if to say: "There is my open
hand--we have known each other but a little while--dare you lay _your_
hand in it?" Perhaps it was chance that made the young girl return the
steady glance--then drop her eyes with so sad a look that tears might
easily have been trembling under the long lashes,--color a little on
cheek and brow, as if some tint of the sunrise flush had for a moment
rested upon her face--then slowly reach over her right hand and let it
drop and nestle into the one ready to receive it. Perhaps all these
things were chance: well, let them be so set down--such "chances" are
worth something in life, to those who know how to embrace them!

What have we here? Two persons who had spoken to each other for the
first time, only a few hours before, and who had since held marvellously
little conversation, now sitting hand in hand, their soft palms pressed
close together, and every pulse of the mental and physical natures of
both thrilling at the touch! Exceedingly improper!--exceedingly
hurried!--exceedingly indelicate! Modesty, where were you about this
time? If we have gone so fast already, how fast may we go by-and-bye?
Alas, they are living people whom we have before us--not cherubim and
seraphim; and they do as they please, and act very humanly, in spite of
every care we can take of their mora