The Two Destinies

in from the point at which i

e bailiff alone at the decoy, and had set fo

vant from the house waiting there. He carried

letter has come by the coach. My master means to take a post-chaise fro

ce saddened when sh

she whispered, "before you see what

be revealed to me when we got to the cottage. How could I disappoint her?

temporizing sort. My love to my mother - and

red the

king to her. It was an act of domestic high treason to interrupt the Sibyl at her books. We crept quietly into our places. Mary waited until she saw her grandmother's gray head bend down, and her grandmother's bushy eyebrows contract at

surprise?"

d back: "Gues

hing f

guessing.

ach guess was wrong. Mary de

he suggested; "and go

C, D, E, F-" The

Thing," she said; "a

ther," "Fife." And here

hree whole years older than I am. After all the trouble I have taken to pleas

n't g

u m

ve it

e give it up. She hel

you wished you had in

I inquired, at a

mn leaves were falling, and you took me out one e

ays his love that forgets, and her love that remembers. We were on

presence of her grandmother, she jumped up, and sn

briskly, "now do y

it in white, carrying in its beak the typical olive-branch, wrought in gold thread. The work was the tremulous, uncertain work of a child's fingers. But how faithfully my little darling had remembered my wish! how pa

ok. I took the little workwoman in my arms, and kissed her

iasm, "my father is coming home to-day. I will spea

oice at the other end o

d black eyes were watching us in our corner. I approached

ith a caressing gentleness which

t the flag. "Hide it!" she cried, before I could

asked. "I want to fly it

ith that answer she took the flag from me and thrus

grandmother!" sai

ted my

er fly it at the

on the closed volume of S

slanting into the room, "and I see my husband in the heavenly light. He bows his head in grief, and he points his unerring hand at You. George and Mary, you are consecrated to each other! Be always worthy of your consecration; be always worthy of yourselves." She paused.

bbing, as she pressed nearer and nearer to my side. I could feel my

eafter! God prosper, in future days, the union wh

ottage door was thrust open. My father - f

n her feet, and looked at

"It looks with the eyes - it will

ce that followed, address

od with my arm round little Mary, patiently waiting for my opportunity to speak. "George," he said, with the hard smile which was pec

y appearances, I was still a boy. Judging by my own sen

ermody. I am in love with her, and she is in love with me. I wis

humor changed. He had observed that Dermody, too, presumed to

couraged him to stand there hugging that girl? If it's you, Dermody, it shall be the worst day's work you ever did in your life." He turne

must go back to Mary, if you ple

ther was positively st

these doors again! You have been taught to disobey me here. You have had things put into your head, here

many things which a master in a hot temper is privileged to say to the man who serves him. But you have gon

checked

out your cottage, and playing at sweethearts with your girl there, your duty was to close the door on him.

nd. He was no longer the easy, sweet-tempered,

all have no opportunity of repeating what you have just said to me. I wi

orted my father. "The so

he room and put his

to quarrel with you before a discarded servant. There must be an end to this non

o press the spirit of resistance out of me. I so

retty and good she is! She has made me a flag for my boat. Let

y burst out crying. Her tears and my en

of your own accord, or obliging me to take you awa

osed a voice, speaking behind us. "Rid your min

he had stepped back, at the outset of the dispute, into the corner behind the fireplace. There she had re

r seemed to think it beneath his dignity to answ

o the last number, make up your mind to do what I tell yo

Dermody, "he will still be on his wa

lease?" asked my father, stung

d instantly in the

ur way to your rui

ck on the prophetess wi

aid, beginn

nd Mary as he spoke. I had inherited some

my father, after

ered: "Let me go, George! I can't bear to see it

nger as a preliminary warni

ried Dame

d at her again with s

have you anything particul

to come, to another woman, and my grand-daughter to another man. In vain! I tell you, in vain! You may doom them to misery, you may drive them to sin - the day of their union on earth is still a day predestined in heaven. It will come! it will come! Submit, while the time for submission is yours. You are a doomed man. I see the shadow of disaster, I see the seal of death, on your face. Go; and leave these consecrated ones to walk the dark ways of the worl

," he said, and counted

oved nor an

e said, as he fastene

head sink on her father's bosom as I was dragged to the door. In my helpless rage and misery, I struggled against the cruel hands that had got me with all the strength I had left. I cried out to her, "I love you, Mary! I will come back to you, Mary! I will never marry any one but you!" Step by step, I was forced further and further away. The last I saw of her, my darling's head was still resting on Dermody's breast. Her grandmother stood near, and shook her withered hands at my father, and shrieked her terr