erved to
fasten on me the belief that I had lost all claim to your love, that you
could not forgive me. Yes! I did misjudge you, Madge, I know, but when I
looked back upon the past, and all your faithful love for me, I saw you
as I had ever seen you, the best of sisters, and then my shameful
and ungrateful conduct rose up clearly before me. I felt so utterly
unworthy."

Miss Greylston laid her finger upon her brother's lips. "Nor will I
listen to you blaming yourself so heavily any longer. John, you had
cause to be angry with me; I was unreasonably urgent about the trees,"
and she sighed; "I forgot to be gentle and patient; so you see I am to
blame as well as yourself."

"But I forgot even common kindness and courtesy;" he said gravely. "What
demon was in my heart, Margaret, I do not know. Avarice, I am afraid,
was at the bottom of all this, for rich as I am, I somehow felt very
obstinate about running into any more expense or trouble about the road;
and then, you remember, I never could love inanimate things as you do.
But from this time forth I will try--and the pines"--

"Let the pines go down, my dear brother, I see now how unreasonable I
have been," suddenly interrupted Miss Greylston; "and indeed these few
days past I could not look at them with any pleasure; they only reminded
me of our separation. Cut them down: I will not say one word."

"Now, what a very woman you are, Madge! Just when you have gained your
will, you want to turn about; but, love, the trees shall not come down.
I will give them to you; and you cannot refuse my peace-offering; and
never, whilst John Greylston lives, shall an axe touch those pines,
unless you say so, Margaret."

He laughed when he said this, but her tears were falling fast.

"Next month will be November; then comes our birth-day; we will be fifty
years old, Margaret. Time is hurrying on with us; he has given me gray
locks, and laid some wrinkles on your dear face; but that is nothing if
our hearts are untouched. O, for so many long years, ever since my Ellen
was snatched from me,"--and here John Greylston paused a moment--"you
have been to me a sweet, faithful comforter. Madge, dear twin sister,
your love has always been a treasure to me; but you well know for many
years past it has been my _only_ earthly treasure. Henceforth, God
helping me, I will seek to restrain my evil temper. I will be more
watchful; if sometimes I fail, Margaret, will you not love me, and bear
with