ed long upon life knows that of all the
maladies, mental or physical, that afflict human nature, "nothing" is
the most common, the most dangerous, and the most incurable! When you
see a person preoccupied, downcast, despondent, and ask him, "What is
the matter?" and he answers, "Nothing," be sure that it is something
great, unutterable, or fatal! Hannah Worth knew this by instinct, and so
she answered:

"Nonsense, Nora! I know there is something that keeps you awake; what is
it now?"

"Really--and indeed it is nothing serious; only I am thinking over what
we have seen to-day!"

"Oh! but try to go to sleep now, my dear," said Hannah, as if satisfied.

"I can't; but, Hannah, I say, are you and Reuben Gray engaged?"

"Yes, dear."

"How long have you been engaged?"

"For more than twelve years, dear."

"My--good--gracious--me--alive! Twelve years! Why on earth don't you get
married, Hannah?"

"He cannot afford it, dear; it takes everything he can rake and scrape
to keep his mother and his little brothers and sisters, and even with
all that they often want."

"Well, then, why don't he let you off of your promise?"

"Nora!--what! why we would no sooner think of breaking with each other
than if we had been married, instead of being engaged all these twelve
years!"

"Well, then, when do you expect to be married?"

"I do not know, dear; when his sisters and brothers are all grown up and
off his hands, I suppose."

"And that won't be for the next ten years--even if then! Hannah, you
will be an elderly woman, and he an old man, before that!"

"Yes, dear, I know that; but we must be patient; for everyone in this
world has something to bear, and we must accept our share. And even if
it should be in our old age that Reuben and myself come together, what
of that? We shall have all eternity before us to live together; for,
Nora, dear, I look upon myself as his promised wife for time and
eternity. Therefore, you see there is no such thing possible as for me
to break with Reuben. We belong to each other forever, and the Lord
himself knows it. And now, dear, be quiet and try to sleep; for we must
rise early to-morrow to make up by industry for the time lost to-day;
so, once more, good-night, dear."

Nora responded to this good-night, and turned her head to the wall--not
to sleep, but to muse on those fiery, dark-brown eyes that had looked
such mysterious meanings into hers, and that thrilling deep-toned voice
that ha