m had once condemned.

The last words, and the appealing hand outstretched to her, told Fanny
the secret of her friend's tender sympathy for her own love troubles,
and seemed so pathetic, that she took Polly in her arms, and cried over
her, in the fond, foolish way girls have of doing when their hearts are
full, and tears can say more than tongues. The silence never lasts long,
however, for the feminine desire to "talk it over" usually gets the
better of the deepest emotion. So presently the girls were hard at
it, Polly very humble and downcast, Fanny excited and overflowing with
curiosity and delight.

"Really my sister! You dear thing, how heavenly that will be," she
cried.

"It never will be," answered Polly in a tone of calm despair.

"What will prevent it?"

"Maria Bailey," was the tragic reply.

"What do you mean? Is she the Western girl? She shan't have Tom; I 'll
kill her first!"

"Too late, let me tell you is that door shut, and Maud safe?"

Fanny reconnoitered, and returning, listened breathlessly, while Polly
poured into her ear the bitter secret which was preying on her soul.

"Has n't he mentioned Maria in his letters?"

"Once or twice, but sort of jokingly, and I thought it was only some
little flirtation. He can't have time for much of that fun, he 's so
busy."

"Ned writes good, gossipy letters I taught him how and he tells me all
that 's going on. When he 'd spoken of this girl several times (they
board with her mother, you know), I asked about her, quite carelessly,
and he told me she was pretty, good, and well educated, and he thought
Tom was rather smitten. That was a blow, for you see, Fan, since Trix
broke the engagement, and it was n't wrong to think of Tom, I let myself
hope, just a little, and was so happy! Now I must give it up, and now I
see how much I hoped, and what a dreadful loss it 's going to be."

Two great tears rolled down Polly's cheeks, and Fanny wiped them away,
feeling an intense desire to go West by the next train, wither Maria
Bailey with a single look, and bring Tom back as a gift to Polly.

"It was so stupid of me not to guess before. But you see Tom always
seems so like a boy, and you are more womanly for your age than any girl
I know, so I never thought of your caring for him in that way. I knew
you were very good to him, you are to every one, my precious; and I knew
that he was fond of you as he is of me, fonder if anything, because he
thinks you are perfect