lover.

He took her hand, and her fingers lingered in his for a moment; that was
all. When they returned to the farm the doctor had just arrived; they
heard his cheery voice in the courtyard. The chill of the early autumnal
evenings has a charm that both Cecile and Jack felt as they entered the
large room filled with the light from the fire. At supper innumerable
dusty bottles were produced, but Jack manifested profound indifference
to their charms. The doctor, on the contrary, fully appreciated them, so
fully that his granddaughter quietly left her seat, ordered the carriage
to be harnessed, and wrapped herself in her cloak. Dr. Rivals seeing
her in readiness, rose without remonstrance, leaving on the table his
half-filled glass.

The three drove home, as in the olden days, through the quiet country
roads; the cabriolet, which had increased in size as had its occupants,
groaned a little on its well-used springs. This noise took nothing from
the charm of the drive, which the stars, so numberless in autumn, seemed
to follow with a golden shower.

"Are you cold, Jack?" said the doctor, suddenly.

How could he be cold? The fringe of Cecile's great shawl just touched
him.

Alas! why must there be a to-morrow to such delicious days? Jack knew
now that he loved Cecile, but he realized also that this love would be
to him only an additional cause of sorrow. She was too far above him,
and although he had changed much since he had been so near her, although
he had thrown aside much of the roughness of his habits and appearance,
he still felt himself unworthy of the lovely fairy who had transformed
him.

The mere idea that the girl should know that he adored her was
distasteful to him. Besides, as his bodily health returned, he began to
grow ashamed of his hours of inaction in "the office." What would she
think of him should he continue to remain there? Cost what it would, he
must go.

One morning he entered M. Rivals' house to thank him for all his
kindness, and to inform him of his decision.

"You are right," said the old man; "you are well now bodily and
mentally, and you can soon find some employment."

There was a long silence, and Jack was disturbed by the singular
attention with which M. Rivals regarded him. "You have something to say
to me," said the doctor, abruptly.

Jack colored and hesitated.

"I thought," continued the doctor, "that when a youth was in love with a
girl who had no other relation than an