t; my life was yours, my
happiness yours, and all the love I am capable of. In an evil hour a
shadow came atween us; I was mad at losing you, and I asked Louisa to
wed me; but though I'd 'a' been true to her--for a promise is a
promise--I'd have been the most miserable man what ever lived, for my
heart would have been yours. I'd have committed a sin, an awful sin,
but, thank God, I am saved from that now. Louisa herself has set me
free. There's her letter; you can read it if you want to."

Jim pulled it out of his pocket, and thrust it before Alison's dazzled
eyes.

"No, no!" she said, pushing it from her; "your word is enough. I don't
want to see the letter."

She hid her face in her shaking hands.

"I was always true to you," continued Jim, "in heart at least; and now
I want to know if there is any reason why you and me should not be wed
after all. I have got money enough, and I can wed you and give you a
nice home as soon as ever the banns are read, and there'll be a corner
for Grannie too, by our fireside. Come, Alison, is there any reason,
any impediment? as they say in the marriage service. There aint really
any other feller, is there, Ally? That was a sort of way to cheat me,
Ally; wasn't it, darlin'?"

"Oh, Jim, yes, yes," cried Alison. "I always loved you with all my
heart. I loved you more than ever the day I gave you up, but I was
proud, and I misunderstood, and--and--oh, I can say no more; but I love
you, Jim, I love you. Oh, my heart is like to burst, but it is all
happiness now, for I love you so well--so true--so very, very dearly."

"Then that's all right," he answered solemnly. He took her into his
arms there and then and held her fast to his beating heart. They
kissed each other many times.

Alison and Jim were married, and Grannie went to live with them. She
was indispensable to the brightness of their home, and even more
indispensable to the success of their little shop; for Grannie had a
natural turn for business, and if her eyes were the kindest in all the
world, they were also the sharpest to detect the least thing not
perfectly straight in those with whom she had to deal. So the shop,
started on thoroughly business principles, flourished well. And the
young pair were happy, and the other children by and by made a good
start in the world, and Grannie's face beamed more and more lovingly as
the years went on, but never to her dying day did she reveal the secret
of her visi