Jessie Graham

e, next morning, when she met him at the depot a

is dull as yet, and I'd rat

tly. "Why didn't she come to bid me good-by?" and he

cted nothing, an

s morning and was still

sensation,-a feeling of gratified vanity,-for he

e is a pleasant, quiet little girl, qui

Jessie, and in a moment the

" he added, as "all aboard" was shouted in his ear, and as he turned away his place was taken by anot

I didn't expec

or with his inborn jealousy, which no amount of discipline could quite subdue, h

ame pretty near telling him so,-but told him instead, that she thought he resembled his cousin William. This brought the conversation to a point Walter longed

ope," she replied. "You know he lives in New York

our father told me once that she had

so she now felt that Walter disliked William, and she continued: "Charlotte Reeves would give the world to have him spend a week in

u what your fath

nk everything o

ried than the wife of any of that race," and Wa

ce, then stopping short and looking

u one of

smiling at a question which admit

bout William himself which prompted that remark, and as Jessie usually echoed her father's sentiments, she felt, the old disagreeable sen

the sun by Aunt Debby's thrifty hop vines. Walter was telling Jessie of his recent visit, and ho

laughingly, as she plucked the broad green leaves growing near her head,

rned Walter, and the look he gave Jessie seemed to say that

of pleasure, it involuntarily reminded her of what William had said

ur speech was very good.

to the manner in which it was delivered. He was willing for Jessie to have heard it, but he felt a natural reluctance i

into her hands, and then joined his grandfather, while she returned to her room, and striking a light, abandoned herse

and in Jessie's heart there was a sore spot, for the losing confidence in Walter was terrible to her. "He is not str

breakfast was over, going to the village, where he remained until long past the dinner hour, hearing that which made him in no hurry to return home and make his peace with the little dark-eyed beauty. E

r, who replied that "it was difficult losing what one never had," and sai

lculated to improve his state of mind, and his dejection was

ing him "to join her and cheer her up a bit, for she se

used by William Bellenger's absence, and hour after hour Jessie sat alone among the pines, starting at every sound, and once, when sure a footstep was near, hiding behind a rock,

e a little, if only to pay for all father has done for him. If there is anything I dislike, it is ingratit

r good to cry, so she lay with her face in the grass, while the rabbit came sev

the afternoon, Walter thought, and as the sun drew

re they fed lay in the opposite direction from the pines, he bent his footsteps to

ing his hand gently upon he

nesome and homesick, and I wish I'd

s Walter's cool reply, an

I had known w

asked, in the same cold, calm, tone, whi

ow you didn't write all that

do you mean about that valedictory.

obey, and now at his command she stole timidly to his side upon the rustic ben

alter's eye at his cousin's meanness,

at my essay was far beyond my years, and I am inclined to think it was; for I have written nothing since which pleased me half so well. I was appointed valedictorian, as you know, and in preparing my oration I selected a few of those old ideas and

elf again, though she would not admit that William's insinuations were mere fabrications of his own. He never heard it before, she knew, but some of Walter's

ot dispute h

y amiable cousin

r her burning face, Je

hat it was. I knew before that there was something unpleasant, and once asked fath

ated, then drawing Jessie

my lips than from any other," and then, unmindful of the cows, which, having waited long for t

ls. There one pleasant summer my mother came. She was spending several months with a family who occupied what is now that huge old ru

Jessie asked, unconscious of the pang her ques

, for she knew how proud they were, and that they would take her home at once. And so, in an unguarded moment, they went together over the line into New York, where they were married. The Bellengers, of course, were fearfully enraged, denouncing her at once, and bidding her never cross their threshold again. But this only drew her nearer to

id Jessie. "What ha

, performed a menial's part, such as sweeping the rooms, building the fires in winter, and of course he kept the keys. They were great friends, Richard Graham and Seth Marshall, an

he do it?" cried Jess

d well, traveled a great deal, and was very liberal with his money, when he had any. Still none suspected him of dishonesty; he did not know enough for that, they said. Everybody liked him, and when on that night he came to our house, apparently intoxicated, and asked for a shelter, gr

d finding my husband gone, called to him to know where he was. Presently he

color, and pointing to my father's shoe

dy? It was not raining

red them with the wretched man looking on in a kind of torpid apathy, as if utterly unable to comprehend the meaning of what he saw; but when Richard, his best friend, whispered to him softly, 'Confess it, Seth. Give up the money and it won't go so hard against you,' the truth burst upon him, and he dropped to the ground like one scathed w

e would rather it had been he than Seth Marshall, and the tide was turning in favor of the latter when Richard Graham was called to the stand. He was known to be my father's dearest friend, and the audience waited breathlessly to hear what he would say. He testified that, having been very restless, he got up about two o'clock in the morning, and as his window commanded a full view of the bank, he naturally looked in that direction. The moon was setting, but he could still discern objects with tolerable distinctness, and he saw a man come out of the bank, lock the door, put the key

y friend upturned to his and the supplicating eyes of the young wife fixed upon him, how could he answer yes? But he did, Jessie,-he did it at last. He said, 'I do,' and over the

e. I see now so plain that fair girl-wife crouching on the

som had swelled with resentment at the act; but now, when Jess

d that to which he testified, and when he left the sta

e, Seth, I coul

Jessie; "he needn't h

to this; he merely we

ollars, my father must go to jail, there to await his trial at the county court, which would hold its next session in three weeks. When the decision was made known, m

somebody. Oh, save

lue, pinched look about her lips, while my father bent over her, his tears falling like rain upon her face. Ev

wi

gasped Jessie, whi

en upon him, benumbing all his faculties; he could neither think, nor talk, nor act, but w

rling do when I a

vigilant enough, for one dark, stormy night, the last before the dreadful sitting of the court, when the wind roared and howled about the old farm-house, and the heavy autumnal rain beat against the windows, my fa

you believ

oment,' she replied

that. Teach our child to think the s

nd with a kiss upon her lips, my father turned

, I swear to you that I am innocent. Bless

bling hand upon the brown

ou are not guilty; but I bless you all th

lay sick, and kneeling by he

believe I

, and without his asking it

rned on the table, and they waited his return, but from that hour to this he has not come back. He could not go to prison, and so he ran away. Mr. Graham paid the bail, and was heard to say that he was glad poor Seth escaped. I did not quite understand the matter when I was a boy, and I almost hated your father

he money?" Jessie ask

clothes soon after, and gave various other tokens of being abundantly

nterrupted Jessie, "

d she could not see the look of pa

is disgrace upon them, and then she took her bed, never to rise again. The first October frosts had fallen when they laid me in her arms and bade her live for her baby's sake. But five days after I was born she lay dead beneath that western w

ere my brother," and she involuntarily laid her hand in his. "Hav

shall find him. I shall prove him innocent, and until then there will always be a load in my heart,-a something whic

ometimes when I don't deserve it?" Jessie as

loved her so much he was oftenest harsh with her. But he dared not. She would not listen to such words,

d now that you know all, I will be so no longer. Yo

when I came up here this afternoon and cried with my face in the grass. I pity

s, and Jessie, as if speaking mo

lter," and the tone of Jessie's voice led Walter to expect some unpleasant remark, "you know father has intended to have you live with us, but if William

felt his old jealousy rising up, and whispering to him that Jessie spoke for herself rath

hink, and I will write

and living with her beneath the same roof. It had been the goal to which he had looked forwar

ake you into business, and into my

ad vetoed this,-had

estled to his side, and heard her say, "You can come to see me every day, and when I am going to concert

to screen him from her grandmother's ill nat

ssie, and I'm glad you t

pines where they sat it was already very dark, he proposed their returning home. Jessie was unusually silent during

nder you are often sad with

uld bring the world to my opinion; but nearl

she hastily added, as she felt the gesture of impatience Walter made, "I like you just the same,-yes, a great deal better than befo

here the deacon sat smoking his accustomed

you went after more

Jessie, while the matter-

is milked and the cre

d except the deacon and Walter,

you and Jes

father, and why he went

did when that subject was mentio

m glad you are not betraying Mr. Graham

t he did not speak, and

her! She's worthy of any man's best love, and she's wound herself round my old heart till the sound of her voice is sweet to me almost as Ellen's; but she isn't

o share one iota of our shame. But were my father innocent, I would never rest until I made myself a name which even Jessie Graham would not despise, for I love her, grandpa,-love her better than my life," and as af

which shone on Walter's face and that of the gray-haired man regarding him with a look of tender p

ope, my boy,-n