The Rector of St. Mark's

looked very bright and pleasant that warm June afternoon, with the rustic table so fancifully arra

e from Lucy, who, imbued with a mortal fear of insects, seemed this day to gather scores of bugs and w

hat," Fanny had said, as with her own hands she took from Lucy's curls and threw away a thousan

herself upon the fence where nothing but ants could molest her, and finished the bouquets which Fanny hung u

She was bending every energy to please and captivate him, and a cold was of no consequence provided she succeeded. So, like some little fairy, she danced and flitted about, making fearful havoc with Dr. Bellamy's wits and greatly vexing Fanny, who hailed with delight the arrival of Mrs. Meredith and Anna. The latter was very pretty and very becomingly attired in a light airy dress of blue, finished at the throat and wrists with an edge of soft, fine lace. She, too, had thought of Ar

mly welcomed by Lucy, who, seizing both her hands, led her away to see the arrangements, cha

ses. See, I have one in my curls. Then, when he brought them to the carriage, I kept him there while I asked numberless questions about you, and heard from him just how good you are, and how you help him in the Sunday-school and everywhere, visiting the poor, picking up ragged children and doing things I never thought of

withal, that he could not be annoyed long, and he felt better for having seen her bright, coquettish face, and listened to her childish prattle. It was a great trial for him to attend the picnic that afternoon, but he met it bravely, and schooled himself to appear as if there were no such things in the world as aching hear

, and her clear, honest eyes looked him strai

pected her to be natural, as her aunt laid great stress on that, but she need

ground, and formed a little bower which looked so inviting that Anna sat down upon the gnarled roots of the tree, and, tossing her hat upon the grass, exclaimed, "How nice and pleasant it is here. Come, sit down, too, while I tell you about my class in Sunday-school, and that poor Mrs. Hobbs across the mill stream. You won't forget her, will you? I told her you would visit her the oftener when I was gone. Do you know she cried because I was go

ace, and her eyes immediately filled with tears, f

ring on her long eyelashes, and her fingers trembling amon

"Missed by the parish poor, and by you, too, Mr. Leighton. You d

ad leaped madly at the conclusion, and was down i

nted of your decision? Tell me that you have and it wil

ied: "I have not repented, Mr. Leighton. Aunt Meredith thinks it best,

, and matters were getting somewhat mixed when, "Arthur, Arthur, where are you?" came ringing

tolen away to make love," she said, playfully, adding more earnestly as she saw the traces of agi

answered her, "On the contrary, I am very glad you came, and so, I am sure, is Miss Anna. I am ready to join you at the table. Come, Anna, t

leaving Anna more stunned and pained than she had ever been before. Surely if love had ever spoken in tone and voice and manner, it had spoken when Mr. Leighton was kneeling on the grass, holding her hands in his. "Anna, oh, Anna!" How she had thrilled at the sound of those words and waited for what might follow next.

terly. "He must have seen what I expected and I care most for that," she sobbed, resolving henceforth to guard herself at every point and do all that lay in her power to further Lucy's interests,

rom too critical observation. There were two at least who were glad when the picnic was over, and various were the private opinions of the company with regard to the entertainment. Dr. Bellamy, who had been repeatedly foiled in his attempts to be especially attentive to Lucy Harcourt, pronounced the whole thing "a bore." Fanny, who had been highly displeased with the doctor'