caped from his trial.

Thursday evening Dr. Lyman came all aglow from Chardon. He had seen
Bart and heard his argument, and all the enthusiasm of his nature was
fully excited.

Now on this long, warm Friday--the anniversary of his departure--he
was to come; and naturally enough she looked to see him come the way
he went--from the east. Often, even before noon, she turned her eyes
wistfully down the road, and until it met the rise the other side of
the little valley, so on up past the red school house, and was lost
over the summit; but the road was empty and lonely.

As the afternoon ran toward evening, she began to grow anxious.
Suddenly the sound of wheels caught her ear, and she turned as Judge
Markham's grays headed up to her gate. She recognized Julia, who,
without waiting to be helped, sprang lightly from the carriage, with
her face radiant, and bounding to her threw her arms about her neck.

"Oh, mother--my mother now--he is here. I met him in those blessed
woods and brought him to you."

Then she made room for him, and for a moment the mother's arms
encircled them both. How glad and happy she was, no man may know; as
no man understands, and no woman can reveal, the depth and strength of
mother love.

The three in happy tears--tears, that soon vanish, went into the dear
old house, into whose every room Bart rushed in a moment, calling for
the boys, and asking a thousand unanswered questions, and coming back,
with a flood of words, half tears and half laughs.

"So, Bart," said the proud and happy mother, "it is all right," with a
look towards Julia. "I knew it would be."

"And, mother, you knew it, too?"

"A woman sees where a man is blind, sometimes," she answered. "And
boys must find these things out for themselves. Poor boy, I wanted
somebody to whisper it to you."

"Somebody has done so, mother, and I am now so glad that it was left
for that one to tell me."

The boys came in, and were a little overwhelmed, even George, with the
warmth of their brother's reception. Julia went straight to George,
saying, "Now, sir, you belong to me; you are to be my dear
youngest brother! What a row of handsome brothers I shall
have--there!--there!"--with a kiss for each word.

George at first did not quite comprehend: "Julia, are you going to be
Bart's wife?"

"Yes," with a richer color.

"When?"

"Hush! That isn't a question for you to ask." And she bent over him
with another low sweet "hush," that he unde