its granite tower was
striking two; yet Beryl knelt at her oriel window, with her arms
crossed on the wide sill, and her eyes fixed upon the shimmering sea,
where a soft south wind ruffled it into ridges of silver, beneath a
full May moon. Beyond those silent waters, hidden in some lonely,
snow-girt eyry, where perhaps the muffled thunder of the Pacific
responded to the midnight chants of his oratory, dwelt Bertie; and to
touch his hand once more, to hear from his own lips that he had made
his peace with God, to kiss him good-bye seemed all that was left for
accomplishment.

Poor and unknown, she lacked apparently every means requisite for this
attainment; but faith, patience, and courage were hers. Daily work for
daily wage was the present duty; and in God's good time she would find
her brother. How, or when, so expensive and difficult a quest could be
successfully prosecuted, disquieted her not; she had learned to labor
and to trust; she remembered: "Their strength is to sit still."

The symphony of her life was set in minors, yet subtle and perfect was
the harmony that dwelt therein; and because she had sternly shut love
out of her lonely heart, she kept votive lights burning ceaselessly on
the cold altar of duty. The solitary red rose of happiness that might
have brightened and perfumed her thorny path, she had cut off, ere the
bud expanded, and offered it as a loyal tribute to broaden the garland
that crowned Miss Gordon. At the mandate of conscience, she had
unmurmuringly surrendered this precious blossom, but memory was
tantalizingly tenacious; and in sorrowful hours of sore temptation, the
brave, pure soul came swiftly to the rescue of famishing heart: "What?
Is it so hard for us to keep the Ten Commandments? Do we covet our
neighbor's lover?"

In the garden of earthly existence, some are ordained to bloom as human
plantae tristes, shedding their delicate aroma like the
"Pretty-by-nights", only when the glory of the day is done, and
twilight shadows coax open their pure hearts.

To-night she seemed cradled in the arms of peace, soothed by an
unfaltering trust that whispered:

"Would I could wish my wishes all to rest;
And know to wish the wish, that were the best."

While her lips moved in a prayer for Bertie, she fell asleep; like a
child at ease, after long paroxysms of pain. When she awoke, the lilacs
were swinging their purple thuribles filled with dew, in honor of the
new day; a silvery mi