y resemble the
ideal picture he had sketched of that dim, shadowy, far-off person,
his wife.

Marian Ledyard, too, would not willingly have confessed with what a
thrill of pleasure she noticed the young stranger was in his place
again on the following Sabbath, nor how for a time she searched
diligently through every assembly for that one face that had such
strange power to attract her; in no place, though, did she happen to
meet him except that one, where there was no opportunity for
acquaintance.

Benjamin had fully resolved to seek her out, but learning that she
was an orphan who possessed a large fortune in her own right, he was
too proud to be counted one of the moths that flutter about a candle,
so he made another resolve, to think no more about her, which stoical
purpose was not easy to carry out, especially as the blue eyes were
often meeting his, much to the discomfiture of their owner. The
coveted opportunity came at last. The holidays brought the annual
entertainment for the children, and under the friendly boughs of the
Christmas tree the acquaintance began, and progressed remarkably
fast. It was not strange either, considering that each had been in
the other's thoughts constantly for the last six weeks. They walked
home in the moonlight wondering at the singular beauty that crowned
the earth. The tell-tale eyes of each must have revealed the secret
to the heart of the other, for the usual preliminaries, formalities,
windings and turnings of modern courtship seemed unnecessary; the two
drifted together as naturally as fleecy, white clouds in the blue
sky. He forgot that she was worth half a million, and what did she
care that he possessed not anything but his own precious self! Had
she not enough for both?

Not alone in stocks and bonds were Marian Ledyard's riches. She had
been a mere butterfly of fashion and frivolity, absorbed in worldly
gaieties, but the Lord met her, and she fell at his feet, saying,
"What wilt thou have me to do?" And as she had eagerly, unreservedly
followed the world, so now she gave herself up body, soul, time and
wealth, to the service of the Lord, and she was far more sweet and
fascinating in her joyful abandonment to her blessed Master's service
than ever she had been in the service of that other master. She was
that rare combination, a young, wealthy, consecrated Christian.

"Now, mother," wrote Benjamin, "just as soon as we are married, which
will be very soon, you are to