t dear girl, Miss Temple.

"This was not all idle fancy. My plan was founded on good, practical
ideas. If George married Margaret everything would be settled in an
absolutely perfect way. If I should die Bernard would not need to marry
anybody; in fact, I did not believe that in this case he would want to.
He would go to live with George and Margaret; their home would be his
home, and he would always have both of them to take care of him and to
make him happy in every possible way in which anybody could make him
happy. In my mind's eye I could see him in the best room in the house,
with all sorts of comforts and luxuries about him--our present comforts
and luxuries would make a great show gathered together in one room; and
then I saw Margaret and George standing at the open door, asking if
there were anything he would like, and what they could do for him. As
this mental picture came before me my eyes involuntarily went around
that room to see if there were a picture of me on the wall; and there it
was, and no portrait of any other woman anywhere about.

"In a flash the whole thing became so horrible to me that I threw myself
on the bed and began to cry convulsively. Bernard heard me, and came
up-stairs, and I was obliged to tell him I had a sudden pain. He does
not like sudden pains, and sat down and talked to me a good while about
what I had been eating. Before long, however, I grew calm, and was able
to think about my plans in a common-sense, practical way. Truly there
could be nothing better for my present comfort and Bernard's future
happiness: Margaret and George to take care of him, and my image
undimmed in his heart. I felt like one who has insured his life for the
benefit of a loved one, so, no matter what might happen to him, he would
have, as long as he lived, the joy of knowing what he had done for the
loved one.

"When George came the next day he was just the same splendid old George,
and I do not believe any one ever received a warmer welcome from a
sister-in-law than I gave him. Bernard made a little fun of me, as
usual, and said he believed I would rather see George than him.

"'Nonsense,' said I; 'I am always glad to see you, but I am especially
glad to see George.'

"Bernard whistled, and looked at me in the same queer way that he looked
at me when he once had said laughingly that he believed if I had never
met him I would have married George, and I had answered that if I had
been sure he did not e