Show all my poor atila is nothing I 1 can do for you asked margaret hammond piti ugly as she lent over tier sick friend both girls were young but in nil other respects no stronger contrast could be imagined ceila norton was a frail little creature with fluffy yellow ahir a fair complexion and byca nature seemed to have designed lier ta pose as a type af pf theao women choso whoso clinging clingi ug dependence ia so alluring to abo cling tenderness of many men margarat on the con arary had a quick decided way of moving and speaking which indicated of character and opinions of her own her clear gray eyes showed intellect and soul while they served to make interest bui a rather plain face alic was tall and slender but not graceful and her chief beauty waa a mass ot wavy dark brown hair she was paying a visit to leila when the latter becala seriously ill and margaret at once installed herself as chief nurse tell roe the repeated is nothing I 1 can do for you leila turned toward her with eyes like dewy forget mc nota ob she sobbed if you would only write to john Certainly and what shall I 1 say ob I 1 dont know say I 1 am sick and I 1 send my love it is such a john he is so nice margaret smiled and said 1 I believe girls generally admire their own lovers but what do you mean by nice tell me some of bis characteristic traits leila pouted he is not characteristic act at all he is just lovely and ho says the sweetest things about me of course hut I 1 know about you and what I 1 am trying to find out is about him aud I 1 am trying to tell you but you wont let roc I 1 dont know how to describe him and acel he is characteristic in one thing for he avill not have his picture taken so I 1 have none to show you never mind I 1 have already painted him to suit myself and now 1 am ready to write if you will die tato the letter oh make it a note and you know what to say so margaret broto as follow 6 my dear mr leasing my friend mis norton has requested meto inform you of her serious illness which deprives her of the pleasure of writing to you we hope she will be better in a few days when she will speak for herself and express to you more eloquently than I 1 can the love which ebe wishes me to rend sincerely your frienda friend V tina note was received by mr lessius in a western city and the return mail brought to leila n letter overflowing with sympathy and love he sent kind regards to miss hammond and begged that she would be his friend also and write ti him daily during miss nortons Nor tons illness 1 quite a correspondence followed for ahe fair invalid wag sure john would be unhappy if he did not know the details of each days convalescence vales cence but in the course of a week or two her health was fully restored and after an affectionate farewell margaret returned to her home how many changes take place in ten acard not only caused but abe inevitable changes of life youth u transformed into maturity and how many of its loves and friendships aro discarded as outgrown garments but the friendship of margaret and leila has withstood the test of time though the lovo of leila and john has long been a dream of the past leila s heart now thrills other hopes and she is soon to be a happy bride she is making a visit to margaret the last one before her marrione mar she is but little changed has still the same winning childlike face and figure margaret has become thinner a few threads of gray gleam through her beautiful hair and her manner with strangers has a touch of primness she has many friends but is detill unmarried leila said she one day what became of john lassing 1 I believe he went further west how strange bis name coundi I 1 have not thought of him for years and we were once so devoted to each other ho used to sing me euch a pretty tong about triine eyes so blue and tender one verse wag something like this thy lips are like tie rca under an azure sky allured by their marcelous mary elous sweet nepa how can I 1 pasa them by macd just there he always kisal me poor fellow he felt dreadful wh en I 1 broke the engagement ho eaid never love again but here cornea I 1 wonder if he has a letter lor me from clarence there proved lobe one and leila was so absorbed in it that she did not notice margaret who was also reading a letter presently leila looked up with A smile of vanity and with see the expression of margarets face she asked listen said this letter is from john leasing my dear miss pardon the liberty I 1 take in addressing you but acted the part of a friend to me and convinced me that you have a warm heart do you not remember that about lan years ago you men bums ber of bright letters for your friend difo norton you and she were great friends in those days and I 1 have often wondered what had become of you will you not be kind to me again I 1 have luard no news from eastern friends for gome years several years ago I 1 married and I 1 had a happy homo until two years ago when my wife died 1 have one little girl B li bave bouby your aanie though I 1 cm uncertain whether you baill bear it A prompt reply will greatly oblige very truly yours JOHN LEMINO margaret raised her ayea all glowing iiii light only think she said softly he still yes simpered simp ered leila ho eaid he could never forget me when you arito to laiu about me dont tell him I 1 am going to be married anil leo what be says in his next letter A strate pang shot through margaret and downed the light in her eyes ahall write whatever you wish she replied and laying down the letter began to speak of other things As soon as aho waa alone ebe rei read hie letter carefully weighing each word yes sho thought leila was right it is other be wishes lo 10 know how could I 1 be HO foolish as to think otherwise lie washer lover and could not oven think of me without thinking of her the nest day she wrote my dear mr lessing Lessl ng your letter reached me yesterday and afas it not a strange coincidence that should be here at the time 1 I remember writing letters for her during her illness anait is a pleasure to me that I 1 can again serve her and you she is quite well and time has touched her lightly slie with you in the los of bour wife and she was please ed to hear aiom you once more sho has continued to live at the old home in her usual bunny light hearted fashion and the and I 1 are as great friends aa we were in days agone my name is the only thing about me which time is powerless power leis to change very truly yours MARGARET HAMMOND she sent the letter wilh a grim feeling of satisfaction and tried bard to convince herself that she did not look for an answer but the reply came promptly and ran as follows my dear MM gammond I 1 cannot comprehend biow it was that I 1 so signally failed to make myself understood it is of yourself I 1 wish to know your breezy letters attracted me long ago and your persistent way of ignoring yourself has piqued my curiosity will you not bo a friend to me for my own sake very truly your LESSING margarets feelings were a mixture of triumph and interest letter after letter went to and fro john received and read each one with relish soliloquizing A plucky little woman lota of grit rosy cheek I 1 expect and snapping black eyes margaret read liis epistles with no ess interest and the ideal lover bidden within her heart letter by letter assumed the name of john leasing at last he wrote eliat ho was coming iia t and would be at her homo upon a certain day it nas ake the kiss of the prince upon the lips of ahe sleeping beauty the ideal lover lie joao to his full manly height his tender brown cyc alost their look of dreaminess hiis ome bearded face beaming with expression and margaret preparing to meet lim sho fingered the piano with a caressing touch and dreamed of playing for him aba brought out her favorite books with the beliet that they were bis favorites also ahe bad placed a bouquet of flowers upon the piano and was about to go upstairs to change her dull gray morning gown for a more becoming garment with a dash of color when a man was ushered into hearing footsteps ehe turned around and from her serene bight of five feet five she looked down apon a polished bald pale decorated with a lambrequin like fringe of lawny red hair then the details of watery blue yes a wido mouth bristling with a scrubby mustache and a short fat figure forced themselves upon her well what is it you wish she asked politely 1 I want to eee miss margaret II ammond 1 I am miss hammond he quailed beneath the calm questioning gaze of her clear ayea and lost bis usual suavity of manner isyou are you might ask mi to sit down I 1 am john lessing oh no I 1 mean yes sit down I 1 beg your pardon aa you know roe aard he seating himself 1 I suppose I 1 am not the sort of a looking fellow you took me for if adf can return the compliment chanka Th anka you certainly exceed my expectations in many ways did you haive a pleasant trip emt ob yes pleasant enough had fine weather nil the way through it has been a delightful autumn the visible barrier of strange faces had alienated and paralyzed their they eat and solemn the dreariest drea riest commonplaces commonplace a for a few minutes alien john remembered a business engagement and he walked thoughtfully 0 o the hotel went tohei loom threw him an arm chair and began to whistle dolefully and ou fc of time something which an imaginative car might recognize as the girl I 1 lett behind me fafa ally he broke off with a total of the key and exclaimed by jove an ugly old mid As fur rushed upstairs aud cried over the ruina of her wretched as hear ilyas though she had been ten yeara younger although iahey never other again margaret always hated john loaning Lf aning for at hi fiands aliu winsome lover fcc her dreau had met a cruel donth billiau aca ver iu beaton budget |