rough the huge snowdrifts, reaching Beechwood a lit

ow, floundering helplessly about for an instant, while the train plunged onward

lth. Horace Fairfax was perhaps the most influential, as well as the wealthiest of these; his m

s and gables, and windows all blazing with light and the red glow of inward warmth against its dark background of fir

the arched gate and looked with sad wistfulness, as he leaned his arms on o

bled. Never see Faynie again! That would mean shut out the only gleam of sunshine that had ever lighted up the gray somberness of his existence; take away from him the only d

It was his whim that the keys of the private office should be brought to him each night. Thus

s beyond human nature to resist stopping still to gaze upon her. This he did, believing himself unseen, but Faynie Fairfax had beheld the tall, w

her love was lavished upon her own daughter Claire, a crippled, quiet girl of about Faynie's own age, and Faynie was left to

ing in the garden at twilight; no one to notice the growing attachment that sprang up and

strong resolutions that the lovely maiden should never guess the existing state of affairs, but he might as well have attempted to stay the mighty wat

h she looked at him with smiling lips, April sunshine and showers commingled, confessing with all a young girl's pretty, hesitating shyness that she loved him,

yet. It required a little more courage than he had been able to muster up to seek an audience with the millionaire-beard the lion in his den, as it were-and dare propose such a monstrously preposterous thing as the asking of his lovely, dai

urrying down the path. Another instant, and the little breathless figu

h as I love to see you. I was praying you would not venture out. Oh, my precious, what is it?" he cried in alarm, as the fitful light of the gas lamp that hu

st of sobs and clung to him like a terrified child. All in vain

scovered, and that they meant to put him from Faynie, and he strained her closer to

nd when she had complied with the summons, he had informed her that a friend of his had asked for her hand in marriage, and he had consented, literally settling the matter without consulting her, the one most vitally interested. She had most furiously rebelled, there had been a terrible scene, and it had ended by her father harshly bid

"Oh, Lester, my love, tell me, what am I to do? He is very old, quite forty, and I am only

s arms in an agony that wor

ie, and you must marry me," he cried, hoarsely. "Heaven intended us for each other, and for no one else. You

, weeping hyster

and you will take me away from this place, where

at that instant the shriek of an approaching train sounded u

with whatever change of clothing you wish to take with you. I will bring a carriage. The way by carriage road from the city is less than seven miles, you know. We will drive to the minis

arms and was dashing like one mad through the drifts toward the railroad station again. Then, with a strange, unac

ing all haste toward his lodgings. Suddenly some one tapped him on the shoulde

seems. Well, we'll travel along tog

In that instant Lester Armstrong slipped on the icy pav

k! He is dying. He won