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OIS PROFESSOR ROSE SUDDENLY.”

started when the child Phylhie had pronounced it, and a crimson tide of colour rushed over her pale face. She loosened the clinging arms of the children, and, takig a step to- wards the Professor, stood with stramed cyces staring at hi,

“Hugh 7 she ered.

Bluntly and confusedly he stammered : “ But the child said vou were dead V7

The immobility of his face was all broken up with the strength of the confheting cmotions that possessed himg his o grey eyes clowed under the prominent brows, and his strong hands trembled. Phyllis was scarcely less moved herself), but, woman-like) sceing his excessive and almost over-mastering agitation, she came to the rescue by control- ling hersell into calmness o voiee and manner.

“The children’s mother 1s dead)” she said, cently,

“They are not

vz children 27 sand the

Professor, passing a hand over his hrow, as il

to sweep away the mist of bewilderment that obscured his understanding.

“'They are my brother’s children,” said Phyllis Wynne, e has just been appointed minister at a Presbyterian church at C — 7 She named a large town some nitles distant. “ 1 have taken care of the ehildren since their mother dicd a few months ago, and we have come here for a holiday.”

“And you -you arc widowed, bLlundered on the Professor.

Phyllis Wynne looked at him strangely.

then??”

STRAND

MAGALLNLE.

“ 1 have never been marred,” she said, simply, and the ermmson colour acain dyed her delicate face.

The Professor stared at her a moment - hormfied amazement, scarcely able to scize the mmport of her words, Then he broke out mnoa passionate way, his volce loud and stern -

“Then what fiend sent me alse notice of your marriage marrage with Colonel lewcellyn 27

“Oh, Hugh! Hugh!” cried Phylhs Wiynne swiftly, her voiee sharp with

that vour

-

pam. Through her quick woman’s mind there had flashed the explana- tion of all that had bcen so mcom- prchensible, the realization of all that Fugh as well as she herself had suffered, and with 1t a contrasting viston of what might have heen. “Gh,

[Hugh ! What an awful mistake ! My cousin of the same name, Phyllis Wynne, married Colonel Llewcellyn 1

“Aly God!” cried the “what a fool T was ! what a fool !

A dead silence fell between them. No detailed explanation was necessary just then. Fach understood that cither through the mistake of some officious meddler, or through the deliberate villainy of some rival of Hugh Morgan’s, they had been kept apart through the hest years of life, cach embittered by the thought of the other's fathlessness. They stood side by side, looking gravely out at the gleaming sca. Thenr hearts were heating with the same momentous thought, but neither yet dared to give expression to i, The children, gathering their yellow poppics and twining them about their hamper, looked up curtously now and again at therr aunt and ther new friend, and wondered why their faces were so o serious and yet so excited) and why, after talking so carnestly; they had now fallen mto complete stlenee.

The silence could not Tonz he mamtaimed unbroken. Tt grew too pregnant with strong, strugeling emotion. "The Professor suddenly turned to the woman by his side.

“Tlave we met again too late, Phyllis ?” he erted. st too late ?7?

As the question passed his ips; his face orew very white, and his grey eves filled with an mtense and panful cagerness. Phylhs kept himy e no suspense. Her answer came at onee, 1noa broken cry of love.

“Oh, Hugh! 1t 1s not too late! - 1t could never have been too late!” And, her blue

Professor, 2