hall not see my letter!"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because," she answered.

"That is no reason," I replied. "Of course you have written nothing that
you would not want me or your father to see?"

"Well, yes, I have," she returned emphatically. "A great deal. Would you,
Betty, want any one to see such a letter written by yourself?"

"I suppose I could write a letter which I should want but one person in
all the world to see," returned Betty, arching her eyebrows.

"To whom would it be directed, Betty?" I asked, to tease her.

A faint expression of reproach came to her eyes, but after a moment of
pretty hesitancy, she answered boldly:--

"Since you are so unwise as to ask, I'll answer in like folly. The letter
could be directed to but one person in the world--you."

I had received more than I had expected, and though I longed to make a
suitable return, I dared not for the sake of my vows, so we all remained
silent, and somewhat embarrassed, for a minute or two.

Turning to Frances, I said: "If you don't want me to read your letter,
I'll give you the key, and you may make it into cipher." But after
examining the key, she declared that she could never learn to use it, and
I suggested that she write a shorter letter in terms fit for a modest man
to read.

The next day she handed me a shorter letter, saying that she had cut and
pruned it till there was nothing left worth sending, but I assured her
that George would think otherwise.

When I read the letter, my eyes were opened to the fact that there was
more fire in Frances's heart than I had supposed any woman capable of
holding in subjection. But that is a mistake often made by men.

This was my cousin's "cut and pruned" letter:--

"DEAR ONE:

"Baron Ned says my letter must be short, so I smother what remnant of
modesty I have, covering nothing with the veil of circumlocution, but
telling you plainly what I know you want to hear. I love only you and am
true to you in every thought, word, and deed. I long for you, yearn for
you, pray for you, and be your fortune good or ill, I would share it and
give you a part of the bliss of life which you would give to me.

"So I pray you, do not desert me in case your present hope of good
fortune fails you, but let me know at any time, and I will go to you, and
will go with you wherever you will take me.

"You will say, I fear, that none but a crazy woman would write such a
letter as this, but if that be true, the world doubt