COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE.

"HAS anything happened this morning, Alice, to make you look so particularly happy?"

"Nothing specially, Gertrude, but everything in general, I think; the day is so beautiful, it is so jolly to have you here for a visit, and dear Herbert is so excessively kind, he is going to drive us himself to the Lea Woods this afternoon."

The girl who made this speech had just come into the library of Tregellen Manor with a bunch of autumn roses in her hand, and a bright glow on her sweet open face. She was rather short of stature, and inclined to be plump, with an exquisite complexion, fairly good features, happy blue eyes and wavy light brown hair; a contrast in every point to the thin, sallow, dark-eyed maiden at least ten years her senior, who had just put to her the above quoted question.

She now continued, turning her face from Alice to look out of the window, "I know exactly how you are feeling, I have had the same sensations myself. A day comes when the air exhilarates one, and the trifling annoyances which abound in life are brushed aside for a moment, and body and spirit are alike buoyant, but I have noticed that almost always such gleams of brightness only precede unusual pain.” 'Oh, Gertrude !" exclaimed her friend, "how I must shake you out of these gloomy notions, just look at that Virginian creeper, isn't it heavenly? I could watch it for hours."

can you

be so dismal?

There was a balcony outside the window, the railings and pillars of which were now hidden by red leaves, through which the sunlight poured, and the leaves mellowed the rays which in turn enhanced their beauty. Above and between the red leaves might be seen a levelled lawn, below which the grass sloped down to a brawling stream, and beyond rose a hill crowned with trees in their rich livery of autumn gold and brown.

Alice Travers put her roses down and knelt by Gertrude as she spoke, "You are come here to be happy," she said; "what is my happiness good for if I cannot share it? You will stay here as long as you can, and have none of that tiresome teaching drudgery, but only sing and play to please your dear self, and you will get to know Herbert and all my particular friends. Oh, it is so delicious to live with a brother! I do so enjoy managing things, you can't think."

The elder woman smiled down on the younger with a yearning look in her eyes, those deep dark eyes which were all she could boast of beauty. Life for her was a brave though weary struggle, to fulfil a round of monotonous duties, diversified a little by the pitying love of those who were wakened to take an interest in her. Once the future had opened to her as brightly as it did now to Alice, but a dark veil of misfortune had fallen and shut out the brightness, and now the keenness of bitter recollection made her anxious to tone down and moderate the girl's buoyancy.

"I am glad you do enjoy it, darling," she said, "and so glad to come to you; the thought of my visit here I believe saved me from an illness, I had such hard work the last term, but Tregellen and your sweet face seemed to open on me beyond my work like a restful paradise, and helped to keep me from breaking down."

At this moment there was a sound of quick footsteps in the hall. "That is Herbert," said Alice, rising hastily, and she ran out to meet her brother.

Herbert Travers was a strong, square-shouldered, brave-looking man, with bright blue eyes, and golden hair, and moustache, tall and wellmade, with small hands and feet, and just such a sunny smile as his sister's.

He took Alice by both hands and kissed her, and then looked into her face with dancing eyes that said, "Guess what I have to tell you, guess if you can."

"Oh, what is it?" asked Alice, "be quick, don't keep me waiting."

Herbert jerked his thumb towards the library to inquire if it was free.

"I took her there," said Alice apologetically, "because the creeper was looking so beautiful; let us go into the music-room."

She opened a door behind her as she spoke, and pulled her brother after her in the eagerness of her curiosity.

66

Have you decided on the dinner party, Herbert? or to buy that darling pony? or what is it ?”

"Wrong altogether, quite off the scent, guess again, do you know which way I rode this morning?"

"You said you were going to call on Lady Somers."

"So I was, but she was out.”

"Then what kept you so long? Sir Thomas?"

"Bless you, no, he was on J. P. business, the field was quite clear, couldn't have been better arranged if I'd planned it myself."

"I can't guess, Bertie, and I'm getting tired, there could have been no one to see but Miss Foster."

"Just so, you have hit the right nail on the head by the exhaustive process. What a clever Alice it is!" and he laughed joyously.

She gave him a bewildered look and he sobered a little.

"There now, poor little thing, I won't tease you any more, but just tell you my glorious news. I asked Isabel Foster to be my wife, and she has consented. Can you believe it? isn't it splendid? my grand beautiful darling, I feel as proud as a king."

Alice bent her head till it touched her brother's breast, she could not bear him to see her face just then, for those tell-tale eyes that could no more conceal sorrow than happiness, were brimful of tears. To part with the first place in Herbert's love was hard enough, but of all women in the world to have to surrender it to Isabel Foster! Yet in that woeful moment Alice felt there was not the slightest use in opposition, so, womanlike she choked down her feelings, and throwing her arms round Herbert wished him joy in low soft tones with many kisses. He was too glad-hearted to look for more, and bidding Alice hasten lunch, went into the library and chatted gaily to her friend.

Alice did not appear again till they met her in the dining-room, and then at a moment's glance Gertrude saw that her prediction was fulfilled. A casual observer would not have noticed the slight quivering of her lips and the shade less of colour on her cheeks, but they betrayed to her friend that a blow of some sort had fallen upon her.

Herbert laughed, talked, ate a good luncheon, and then went out to unloose his great S. Bernard, Bruno, a magnificent beast, the colour of a pug and as large as a lion. Alice followed him to the yard and was nearly extinguished by Bruno's powerful caresses.

..

Have you ordered the carriage for Lea?" she asked.

"No, I don't like to trust you with Thomson, that mare is too frisky."

"But you were to drive."

"Oh, was I?" he said laughing, "I quite forgot. I hope Miss Frere won't be disappointed, but I promised to take Bruno over and exhibit him this afternoon; there's an honour for you, old boy, she is so fond of dogs. Don't look vexed, Alice, you must see I can't help it, it went all clean out of my head. Put your friend on Brutus, and you take Frisk, and have a trot over the moors, it will do you no end of good.” "But Gertrude can't ride."

"Well, that's not my fault; the world is all before you where to choose, and I must be off. Bye-bye. Hist, Bruno, old boy."

And so he went, but into the house first to comb and brush and array himself, while Alice with slow sad steps followed in his wake to the hall, then, while he ran lightly up the oak staircase, she turned into the library, where her friend sat by the window reading.

Alice sank on her knees beside her, and burying her face in Gertrude's lap gave free vent at last to her hardly controlled tears.

CHAPTER II.

INTRODUCES MISS FOSTER.

"My dearest Isabel, I do congratulate you with all my heart, how very delightful!"

So said little kind-hearted, impulsive Lady Somers, throwing her basket on the sofa and her arms round her cousin as she spoke.

She had just returned from the village, and the basket discharged itself of various small articles which Isabel hastened to collect as soon as she could get free; although Herbert Travers had not been gone more than five minutes, Lady Somers was in far the most excited state of the two.

"I met him just at the lodge gate," she went on, capturing Isabel's unwilling hand, "looking so bright and happy; you are a lucky girl, my dear."