t saying a word.

"Yes, what is it?" said Chester, sharply, for Laura hurried to his side
and laid her hand upon his arm. "Money for housekeeping?"

"No--no!" cried his sister, angrily, and there she paused.

"Well, speak, then; don't stop me. I am busy this morning."

"I must stop you, Fred," cried Laura, passionately. "We cannot go on
like this."

"Why?" he said calmly. "Because we are brother and sister. We have
always been as one together. You have had no secrets from me. I have
had none from you. I have always been so proud of my brother's love for
me, but now all at once everything comes to an end. You withhold your
confidence."

"No; my confidence, perhaps, for the time being," he said gravely; "not
my love from you. God forbid."

"But you do, Fred."

"No; it is more the other way on," he replied. "You have withheld your
love from me, and checked any disposition I might have felt to confide
in you."

"Fred!"

"Don't deny it," he said quietly. "Since I was called away so
strangely, and kept away against my will--"

"Against your will!" cried Laura, scornfully.

"Hah!" he cried, "it is of no use to argue with you, my child. Poor old
aunt has so thoroughly imbued you with her doctrines of suspicion that
everything I say will be in vain."

"Imbued me with her suspicions!" cried Laura, angrily. "That is it;
because I am quite a girl still you treat me as if I were a child. Do
you--oh, I cannot say it!--yes, I will; I am your sister, and it is my
duty to try and save you from something which will cause you regret to
the end of your days. Do you dare to deny that you have got into some
wretched entanglement--something which has suddenly turned you half
mad?"

"No," he said quietly. "That is so."

"Then how can you go on like this? You have broken poor Isabel's heart,
estranged everybody's love from you, and are running headlong to ruin.
Fred--brother, for all our sakes, stop before it is too late."

He looked at her mournfully, took her hand and kissed it, and with a
passionate burst of sobbing she flung her arms about his neck and clung
there.

"Then you do repent, Fred? You will go there no more. Listen, dear; I
forgive you everything now, because you are going to be my true, brave,
noble brother again, and after a time--some day--Isabel will forgive you
too; for she does love you still, Fred, in spite of all. There--there,"
she cried, kissing him again and again, "it is all