Mattie:—A Stray (Vol 3 of 3)

ught, to the loss. But there is no making up one's mind entirely to the absence of those we l

dred times a day they suggested the absence of the ruling genius. The house assumed an unnatural and depressing stillness; he felt wholly shut from the world again-no one

e despondent, morbid being, from which her efforts had transformed him. He tried to think the time away by dwelling upon that business in which he intended to embark; but there came the grave perplexity of the general ma

the ties between them never been sundered by his will. For he loved her still-the stern interdict upon her name was even a part of his affection; and there were times when he did not care to shut her from his mind-on the contrary, loved to think of her as he had known her once. In these latter days, he thought of both Harriet and Mattie-drew, as was natural to one in his condition, the comparison between them-saw which was the truer, firmer, better character, but loved

ed to pity by her earnest eyes? Hers had been a strange life; his had been exceptional-his had ended in blank monotony, that nothing could change-what was in store for her? He thought of the mistake that he had committed on the day that Harriet had personated her unwillingly, and blushed for the error of the act. He had been moved too much by gratitude, and had almost offered his blank life to Mattie, as he thought; Mattie who would have shrunk from him like the rest, had she believed that he had had such thoughts of her. His blindness had affected his mind; he had g

our, day after day. Thoughts of business, Mattie, Harriet Wesden-varied occasionally by the reminiscences

and which he remembered kindly afterwards, notwithstanding a prayer of some duration, that Mr. Gray contrived to introduce. Something new to think of was

and whether Mattie's absence had made much difference to him. Sidney spoke the truth, and Mattie was pleased at the confession. I

the supper to her master, was startl

attie loo

ing,

, studying my eccentri

p-but she has allus been p

t study of a monomaniac might produce upon her," he said h

Mattie likes something to do for some one. An extrornary girl, Mast

aordinary gi

he likes of me to

We don't study appearances in trouble-and a

e altered wer

ks to Mat

any and many a time have I crept to the door after shop was shut, and gi

eful-who can

en you came home and lost that bro

first knew Mattie Gray. S

dness, sir-she's just as kind to

t is li

get-she ought to have had a better un than

happy with

, and Mattie ought to have some one to tak

and, yo

I thin

f some one who is likely to take c

n't k

nd sees her, and in w

n, "her father's jealous of her liking an

ha! to see!" he cried-"Mat

f theirselves seldom find ha

t was deeper than Ann Packet'

of those good folk

ie's

e's one!"

happy; do you know, sir, sometimes I think that-that y

de you think that? Sit dow

l for once demean myself;" and Ann Packet, red in the face with

new Mattie's secret, guessed where Mattie's chance of happiness rested, she thought. But it is d

n made, and the truth must escape-she dash

ed to worry me about you, and yet I never guessed it! When she growed bigger and you growed bigger, she showed her liking less, but it peeped out at times unbeknown to

of this-this nonsen

ppiness hadn't come, and yet she'd worked so hard for it. And somehow I guessed it th

lly!" murm

she liked you best of all, sir, and she comes here, duty bound, to do her best. If they

fingers interlaced,

ry that you have put this in

at you can't do without her help, and see who's wron

At the door a new form of argument su

st the chance of making one woman happy in your life, and in finding your life very different to what it is now, with a blun

t's true e

I do think that Mattie took a fancy to you ever so long ago, and that it didn't die away like other people's because you came to grief. And if my opinion has discumfrumpled you m

e would not t

her good like her mother-I don't know that any one else would. And though I'm your servant,

er head in the dresser-drawer. It had been a great effort, but Ann had succeeded in it. Her young master knew the whole truth now, and there

d dwelt upon the revelation. Something new to think of!-

think of himself, or ask if it were possible to love her; possibly for the first time in his life, he was wholly unselfish, and thought only of a return for all the sacrifices she had made. He could remember now that hers had been a life of abnegation-that she had risked her good na

xistence with his loss of sight-the old world vanished away completely, and left him but one friend from it-let him not