enses. But how did you--was it the
same"--

"It's the same, Richling, with every man who has really secured a
woman's heart with her hand. It was very strange and sweet to me. Alice
would have been a spoiled child if her parents could have spoiled her;
and when I was courting her she was the veriest little empress that ever
walked over a man."

"I can hardly imagine," said Richling, with subdued amusement, looking
at the long, slender form before him. The Doctor smiled very sweetly.

"Yes." Then, after another meditative pause: "But from the moment I
became her husband she lived in continual trepidation. She so magnified
me in her timid fancy that she was always looking tremulously to me to
see what should be her feeling. She even couldn't help being afraid of
me. I hate for any one to be afraid of me."

"Do you, Doctor?" said Richling, with surprise and evident
introspection.

"Yes."

Richling felt his own fear changing to love.

"When I married," continued Dr. Sevier, "I had thought Alice was one
that would go with me hand in hand through life, dividing its cares and
doubling its joys, as they say; I guiding her and she guiding me. But if
I had let her, she would have fallen into me as a planet might fall into
the sun. I didn't want to be the sun to her. I didn't want her to shine
only when I shone on her, and be dark when I was dark. No man ought to
want such a thing. Yet she made life a delight to me; only she wanted
that development which a better training, or even a harder training,
might have given her; that subserving of the emotions to the"--he waved
his hand--"I can't philosophize about her. We loved one another with
our might, and she's in heaven."

Richling felt an inward start. The Doctor interrupted his intended
speech.

"Our short experience together, Richling, is the one great light place
in my life; and to me, to-day, sere as I am, the sweet--the sweetest
sound--on God's green earth"--the corners of his mouth quivered--"is the
name of Alice. Take care of Mary, Richling; she's a priceless treasure.
Don't leave the making and sustaining of the home sunshine all to her,
any more than you'd like her to leave it all to you."

"I'll not, Doctor; I'll not." Richling pressed the Doctor's hand
fervently; but the Doctor drew it away with a certain energy, and rose,
saying:--

"Yes, you can sit up to-morrow."

The day that Richling went back to his malarious home in Prieur street
Dr. Sevier happen