placing her under deeper
obligation. I want to make it as light as possible to her."

"Then, John, you will give me one happiness? I will provide the money
for this expedition."

"You shall, my dearest," answered Hinton, stooping down and kissing her.

He meant her to help Charlotte Home in this way, and he did not notice
the slight sigh scarcely allowed to escape her lips. The fact was,
Charlotte Harman had grown very hungry, almost starved, for her lover
during his three weeks' absence, and now the thought that he was going
still farther away from her, and their wedding-day drawing so quickly
on, could not but excite a pang; the selfish part of her rose in revolt,
and struggled to rebel, but with a firm hand she kept it well under, and
Hinton never noticed her strangled little sigh. They talked for a long
time of their plans, and Charlotte mentioned what money she had of her
very own, and which could be immediately at Hinton's disposal. In the
midst of this conversation, the postman's knock was heard, and a moment
later a servant brought Charlotte a letter. She did not recognize the
handwriting, and laid it for a moment unopened by her side. Then some
confused remembrance of having seen it before, caused her to tear open
the envelope. This was what her eyes rested on.

Charlotte--my sister and friend--I have found the little piece of
paper you put into my Harold's hat. I never knew it was there until
to-day. Thank God I did not know, for had I seen it after your
visit, I should certainly, in my mad, ungracious, evil pride, have
returned it to you.

Dear Charlotte--God nearly broke my heart since I saw you. He
nearly took my boy away. In that process my pride has gone, though
my love and tenderness and gratitude to you remain, for with this
fifty pounds you are saving my child's little life. Thank you for
it. God will bless you for it. You will never--never regret this
deed. It will come back to you, the remembrance of it, in the midst
of your own wealth and affluence, or if dark days visit you, you
will let your thoughts wander to it as a place of safe anchorage
in the storm. It will, all your life long, be a source to you of
rejoicing that you saved a father's and mother's hearts from
breaking, and kept a precious little life in this world.

I can add no more now, my dear. For this money must be spent, and
at once. Oh! pre