A Family Affair

lie rau to the door and tiirew lt open. On the threshold stood, not lJeatriec, but - terrible dlsappointment - the blackrobed figure of Mrs. Mtller, the nurse. What in the world could this somber uniutenstlng wouuin want wlth him kt tlil hour of the nlght? "Tou- Mrg. Miller!" heexclaime'. "Is anythlng the matter?" "May I come in, sir'.1" she asked. "t'ertalnly, what can I do for you?" ïtrs. Miller drew near to him. "May I peak a few words to you. Mr. Carruthers?" She asked the favor lespectfully, but as one who fully expected it would be granted. "Speak away."' said Frank, good-naturedly. "But is there anyttilng wrong in the house?" "Nothlng more than you know of, sir. " Her words bore ft meaning whieh did not u capo Carruthers. ïliey told bim tliat Mrs. Miller was qute aware of what had taken place between hlni and Beatrlce. He w nced mentallT. The thought of his rejection becoming the gossip of the ser varita' hall was not pleasant. "Well let me hear what you have ti y. " He spoke with more asperity than asnal. "Mr. Carruthers," she said, ' teli me bow much you love Miss Beatrlce?" The muiden quentlon staggered as well ks annoyed Frank. He frowned. "I am uot In the habit af making confidences to - to strangers." He was going to say "Inferiora," but lt was a word he hated nüing. "Oh. sir; dn 't misunderstand me. Te'.l me - " the woman spoke with startllng earnestness - "teil me; set my uiiml kt rest. I.et me know that you love her wlth all your haart and soul - that the very ground her foot presses is h ly to you - that you could cherUh her, care for her, be true to lier until death! Teil me tlila and make me happy. Surely you are not ashamed of lovlng her?" Her mannor was so impressive that Carruthers for the moment forgot it was but a servant whoaddressed him. "No, " he said, speaklng slowly, and wlth eyes Bxed on the opposlte wall. "No, I am not asharaed of loving her. AVhat coneern lt is of yours I can not devine; but I love your mistress as much as a man can love a woman. " Mrs. Miller bent down and klssed his hand. She murmured a few words whlch he could not catch. Most men, not belng klngs or priuces, object to having their hands klssed. Frank did. ' Have you knything more to say?" he asked. "Only this, sir - you will wait, will you not?" "Wait For what?' "For her- for Miss Beatrice. Oh! Mr. Carruthers, you won't go in a fit of anger, tnd glve yourself away to the first dollfaced woman who smlles on you? You will wait for the woman you love- flve, ten, tweuty years, it may be?" She clutched his arm. and her eyes tooked at him with that same intense imploring gae. ' I shall never marry another woman," said Frank. "No - never. Wait for her. She shall be yours at last " A thought struck Frank. Did this ttrange woman come to him of her own aoiord, or had Beatrice sent ber? He heart beat vlolently, "Are you glvlng me a message f rom Miss Clauson?" be ksked. "No, slr. Miss Beatrice is not one to lend messagos by servants. Slie doesn't know that I have come to you. You won't teil her. Mr. Carruthers? Promise me yon won't te 1 her!" Her face grew palor than before, as the posslbility of Carruthers" telling Beatrlce of this nocturnal interview rose before her. She seemed so distressed that Frank hastened to assure her he would not mention the matter. Strange as was this woman s manner, something showcd him tbat she meant him well. "She would never forglve me lf she knew," She whispered these words in an awestruck way, as if such a thlng was too fearful to contémplate. "Teil me why you trouble yourself about my afTalrs?" asked Frank. "Why do I trouble! Because she is all in this world and the next to me. lieeause I would kill mytelf to save her from a pain of wind or body. Listen, Mr. Carruthers. Years ago- she was then but a glrl of seventeen or cighteen - she saved me from stawation, from death, from worse. She fcd me, clothed me, rulled me back to Ufe, and saw that I lived. I say to you, Mr. Carruthers, that lf I stood with one foot across tbe golden tbreshold of the heavenly gate, even if my ej es had caught a glimpse of God unl Ui angela, my ears heard the sound of the harpa of the blessed, if below me I bsw the fiery gulf- if I knew tliat withdrawlng my foot would bring her happlness, 1 would withdraw it and be doomed f ore ver. " "Thls is shoer idolatry, " ho sald, not unklndly. "Cali lt wliat you wlll, sir. I mean all I say, and more. " "And bocanse you are so fond of her, you wish to seo her future in my hands, feeling sure it will be a happy one?" "Yes, ir. I have watched you day by day, and have seen that you love her. I have asked about you, and heard you spoken of with the tongue of good report Besides- " "Well, besides what?'1 he said, seelng she hesltated. "You are both of the eloct,4' she said in itrangely solemn accents. 'The seal is on your foreheads. " "What do you mean.'' asked Frank in bewilderment She clasped her thin hands together; her eyes ihone with strangc brilliancy. "Mean!" she exclaimed, so loudly that Frank glanced at the door to make sure tbat it was elosed. ".:ean ' Can lt bc posslble that tliose blcssed ones who are predestlned to be ssints liereafter can walk the e&rth and kuow it not? I can see it. can read it on your face - on Miss Beatrlce's face. 'Many are oalled, bnt few are chosen' - few are chosen. Ton are of the few." "Oh!" sald Frank. He was bezinning to understand that lie was dealing witu a religlous fanatic. UU bewilderment was ucceeded by pitying curioslty, tempted by sarcasm. "lf one could belleve It, It wuuld be ery sat sfaetory, " lie eont nued. "Teil me why you iet-1 so sure about it. Cur creed uiustiUHVr from yourg." "Creed shr buist o t. ' Vou were cl. osen liefuiu Ui. re was uny c euü In tin; world. The seal is put on tho elect as they draw the tir-t breath. lt may bo tliat a heathen who has nevcr heard God's name shall sit on the steps of the great throtie, while ho vl:o ha lived on carth the life of a saint shall go Into everlasting tire.' ' Thi8 is predestina'.iou with a veng..-ance," thought Frank. "Why do you Teel so sure about Miss Clauson and me '" lie aslit'd. I can read it In your f. ces. T u aro to have happiness in Hila world and In the next.' "I!" sto exclalmed, and a tbudder as terror ran throiiRh h t: "I have praved day and night- day and night - tliat au answer may be given me, tliat a slyn may b aliown to me. The answcr lias been given. " "Well, you fouml it all rifiht, 1 hoptv. " fa il Frank, to humor her. She 'eaned forward, and again clutchdJ tiisarm. "1 um 'one of the many. ' "' she said. ia a low, (hrllliiiK whlsper. ilcr Taco wore a look of utter hopelessnoss. Krank pitied tho poor creature from t e botto;n of l.is heart. My good womau." ho said, "your belief is simply a dlabolical one. :ot rid of it, and trust that there is some mercy to tie shown to thosc who ask lor it. Cio and talk to Mr. Mordle or the rector, or some one whose hu-ine s i is toset things of thls kind straight. Xow 1 thlnk wa ïad botter say good night. ' "Good ntght, slr. Thank you," shn said, with a sudden return to her usual ealm and respectful manne ■. Then, with bent head, and hopele-snss w.itten a!l over her, she walke 1 slowly to the door. A thought struck Oarrnthers. "Wait a moment." he said. "I should like to wrlte a line to Miss Claust n. " 'Love letters will do no goo 1. sir. " "lt is not a love letter,'' said Frank, Bomewhat sharpty. Mrs. Mlller waited. He took a sheet of paper. After what ïad happened he feit he could not address lie woman lie loved as "My Dear Miss ülauson.' and he did not dare to write 'My Dear Beatrice." So his letter began abruptly, without address of any kind. Joreover. it was very short Here it is: "Now that I have asked my question, and you have given your 'nswer, te',1 me would you rather I left this place at once, or stayed on as 1 intended. - Yours, F.C." He handed the letter toMrs. Mlller, 6he ook it In a reluctant manner. "You have not written anything unkind to lier?" she sked. "Nothing. Take my word for lt. " "And you ïromise you will walt?" "I must walt, wbether I like it or not." aid Frank, rather bitterly. "Uool-nlghtslr." Mrs. Millercurtesied, nd sto'e noiselessly from the room. Frank feil back into a rêverie. At last ie went to bed, wondering what answer ie would receive to his letter. lt is to be loped the promlse he made Mrs. Miller was to be more sacred than those made to lorace and Herbert, for he blew out the amp anyhow, and left the hcarth-rug to ake care of itself. Alas for the "hope eternal!" It wasall ut crushed In the morningby a note from Jratrlce, which, wlth the pathos attending modern emotional inc'dents. was brought n wlth his shaving water, lt ran so: !':( ase go away.- B. C. " Theri sho ded in a postscript - "Don't think me unkind. lt Is better for your sake. " He crushed the paper in his hand, and no doubt cursed. not Beatrice, bul hls IIIurk. He could not go away that day. Ie feltthatsuch asuddendeparture would et the brothers gossip'ng and trying toacount for its canse, But, as persons genrally do In such extremities. he received letter or a telegram, the nature of which made lt imperativo he should leave o:i the morrow. The moment for departure i ame. Horace had taken the reina. Herbert was eside hiin. Franks p ;rtmante;uis were !owed away In the big wagonette. He urned to shake hands wlth Reatrlce. "I ame hre an invalld in body. " he said to limself; "I go away with a chronie menal di-ease. The exchange is a sorry one." "Won't you come wtt'i us, Beatrice'."' sked Herbert. She drew l;ack her outstretched hand, nd hesltated. Frank turned his eyes away. [e would inno way plead for this concesslon. Suddenly, and in a defiant way. which such a trivial matter by no nieans eemed to cali for, she exclaimed, 'Yes. I will come. Wait for me one minute." ii one minute, literally. she was back Bgain, in her hat and jacket, and seated opposite Frank. Few words passed between them during he drive to the station. A mere gaod-by was all they said as Frank touk hisseat in he train; hut as that train rolled out of Jlacktown as hls eyes for the last time net liea'.rice s, falrly and fully, Mr. ('aruthers's heart leaped in a way which wcnlil have been a credit to a boy's of lghteen. and onee more and forever he now that no vanity of his had led him to lare to think that in Miss Clauson's manner toward him there was an undefmable. nscrutable "s imething, ' which had led lim to risk and apparently lose all. So "hope eternal" sprtmg agan, an he convlction forced itself on Mr. Caruthers that the day might come when, n 8pite of his conclusión number three he must perforce ''grovel. " And, notwlthstanding his pride, this act was by no means an unpleasaiit one! fTO BE COSTINUED.