nd."

"I certainly should," said the doctor.

"But she could not find a way--she had no rope to throw. Again the
colonel, meaning to do anything else but that, opened the way. At the
breakfast table the next morning she received from him a magnificent
valentine. All at once she saw her method. It was St. Valentine's day.
The rope was in her hand. Excusing herself from breakfast she hastened
to her room.

"To send a valentine to the faithful lover was the uppermost thought.
But how? She dare not write her name, for, after all, she might be
mistaken in counting on his love, or she might offend his prejudices or
his pride by so direct an approach. She went fumbling in a drawer for
stationery. She drew out a little pine boat that Henry had whittled for
her many years before. He had named it 'Hope,' but the combined wisdom
of the little boy and girl could not succeed in spelling the name
correctly. And here was the little old boat that he had given, saying
often afterward that it was the boat they two were going to sail in
some day. The misspelt name had been the subject of many a laugh
between them. Now--but I mustn't be sentimental.

"It did not take Jennie long to draw an exact likeness of the little
craft. And that there might be no mistake about it, she spelled the
name as it was on the side of the boat:

"'HOAP.'

"There was not another word in the valentine. Sealing it up, she
hurried out with it and dropped it in the post office. No merchant,
sending all his fortune to sea in one frail bark, ever watched the
departure and trembled for the result of venture as she did. Spain did
not pray half so fervently when the invincible armada sailed. It was an
unuttered prayer--an unutterable prayer. For heart and hope were the
lading of the little picture boat that sailed out that day, with no
wind but her wishes in its sails.

"She sat down at her window until she saw Henry Gilbert pass the next
street corner on his morning walk to the post office. Three minutes
after, he went home, evidently in a great state of excitement, with her
valentine open in his hand. After a while he went back again toward the
post office, and returned. Had he taken a reply?

"Jennie again sought the office. There were people all around, with
those hideous things that they call comic valentines open in their
hands. And they actually seemed to think them funny! She had a reply.
It did not take her long to find