med his heart till it began to hunger
for the food neglected or denied so long. This was plainly written in
his too expressive face, as, fancying it unseen, he let it tell the
longing after beauty, peace, and happiness embodied for him in the
innocent fair girl before him.

The conviction of this sad yet natural fact came to Mrs Jo with a pang,
for she felt how utterly hopeless such a longing was; since light and
darkness were not farther apart than snow-white Bess and sin-stained
Dan. No dream of such a thing disturbed the young girl, as her entire
unconsciousness plainly showed. But how long would it be before the
eloquent eyes betrayed the truth? And then what disappointment for
Dan, what dismay for Bess, who was as cool and high and pure as her own
marbles, and shunned all thought of love with maidenly reserve.

'How hard everything is made for my poor boy! How can I spoil his little
dream, and take away the spirit of good he is beginning to love and long
for? When my own dear lads are safely settled I'll never try another,
for these things are heart-breaking, and I can't manage any more,'
thought Mrs Jo, as she put the lining into Teddy's coat-sleeve upside
down, so perplexed and grieved was she at this new catastrophe.

The story was soon done, and as Bess shook back her hair, Dan asked as
eagerly as a boy:

'Don't you like it?'

'Yes, it's very pretty, and I see the meaning of it; but Undine was
always my favourite.'

'Of course, that's like you--lilies and pearls and souls and pure
water. Sintram used to be mine; but I took a fancy to this when I
was--ahem--rather down on my luck one time, and it did me good, it was
so cheerful and sort of spiritual in its meaning, you know.'

Bess opened her blue eyes in wonder at this fancy of Dan's for anything
'spiritual'; but she only nodded, saying: 'Some of the little songs are
sweet and might be set to music.'

Dan laughed; 'I used to sing the last one to a tune of my own sometimes
at sunset:

'"Listening to celestial lays,
Bending thy unclouded gaze
On the pure and living light,
Thou art blest, Aslauga's Knight!"

'And I was,' he added, under his breath, as he glanced towards the
sunshine dancing on the wall.

'This one suits you better now'; and glad to please him by her interest,
Bess read in her soft voice:

'"Healfast, healfast, ye hero wounds;
O knight, be quickly strong!
Beloved strife
For fame and lif