wilder hopes arose in his bachelor heart. This girl, whom
he had loved for, lo, these many years, was now free of heart and hand.
Could it be possible there was hope for him? Pat with this strange
thought spoke Rita:--

"You say he is a splendid man, pure and true and honest; but you know,
Billy Little, that measured by the standard of your life, he is not. I
used to think he was like you, that you had made him like yourself, and
I did love him, Billy Little. I did love him. But there is no one like
you. You are now my only friend." Tears came to her eyes, and she leaned
toward Billy, gently taking his hand between her soft palms. Tumult
caused the poor bachelor heart to lose self-control, and out of its
fulness to speak:--

"You would not marry me?" he asked. The words were meant as a question,
but fortunately Rita understood them as a mere statement of a patent
fact, spoken jestingly, so she answered with a laugh:--

"No, of course not. I could not marry you, Billy Little. But I wish you
were young; then, do you know, I would make you propose to me. You
should not have been born so soon, Billy Little. But if I can't have you
for my husband, I'll have you for my second father, and _you_ shall not
desert me."

Her jest quickly drove the wild hopes out of the bachelor heart, and
Billy trembled when he thought of what he had tried to say. He left the
house much agitated, and returned to see Miss Tousy. After a
consultation with that lady covering an hour, he went to the tavern and
took the stage for home.

Next day, in the midst of Dic's struggles for peace, and at a time when
he had almost determined to marry Sukey Yates, a letter came from Miss
Tousy, asking him to go to see her. While waiting for the stage, Dic
exhibited Miss Tousy's letter, and Billy feigned surprise.

Two or three days previous to the writing of Miss Tousy's letter, Rita
had told that sympathetic young lady the story of the trouble with Dic.
The confidence was given one afternoon in Miss Tousy's cosey little
parlor.

"When is your friend Mr. Bright coming to see you?" asked Miss Tousy.
"You are welcome to meet him here if you cannot receive him at home."

"He will not come again at all," answered Rita, closely scanning her
hands folded on her lap.

"Why?" asked her friend, in much concern, "has your mother at last
forced you to give him up?"

"No, mother knows nothing of it yet--nothing at all. I simply sent his
ring back and don't want