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convent was drawing near. And meanwhile a wonderful thing had happened, so wonderful that Helene hardly convinced herself that it was true. She was in love 'and she was loved. It had come about in the strangest way. Helene had been gathering win- tergreen in the great forests, and suddenly she had come upon, a young man, Dent on tne same errand, in tne same path. And seeing h'e'r; he ap proached, respectfully and asked her to direct-him to the Point'St. Charles. since he-was lost. If: turned out that he was an artist from Quebec, and was spending- the late fall there, to recover his health. Helene showed him, and when she had done so he must needs walk back with her again, to familiarize himself" with" the way. And at the end he had begged that he might see her again. And Heiene, tremulous, panic-stricken and yet overcome by the bewildering new sensation in her heart, faltered "per haps." ' So they met again and again, Hel ene reckless now" with her departure at hand, and he evidently falling more and more deeply in love with her. And then one day he had been unable to restrain his emotion, and, falling upon his knees, pressed her hands to his lips and covered them with kisses, and begged for permission to .tell her of the sentiments in his heart. When she hadt timidly bidden him arise, and he, growing more bold, had taken her in his arms and kissed herj Helene, falterihgly, told him her story. "Why that is easy," he cried. "Come with me and I will take thee on my sledge to Montreal, and there we will be married." "But. the mother would nevercqn sent," she faltered. "And I am watch ed. How then can I " Then' c he made (the proposition which thrilled her with its.daring. On the next Monday night he would come noiselessly beneath her. winr j dow and, when she heard the1 hoot of. an owl below, let her descend by means of a cord he would give her i it was only two stories and they would depart together. What ties' bound here, he asked? Was not their love the most precious thing in the world? And suddenly, as she recalled this, and waited, half hoping, half dread ing, she heard1 the call. -Then sheJ fastened the. cord, to the bed, as he had told her, and, taking her little bag, she flung it down on the soft snow. A moment later, desperately f daring, Helene found herself -wing1" ouflnto space and down to two arms' upstretched to her. Then, lying in his arms, all the pasP" became- a blank to her. His kisses upon her lips were the sign and syiri bol, of the happiness .to come. For a moment she clung to him; then, hand in hand, they crept cautiously-across the snow and into the forest paths. Atithe bend of the road his sleigh. was waiting, the horse, warmly wrap-, pea, senuing out great ciouas oi steam, from his nostrils. Her lover placed her in the jsleigh, made the reins ready ahcr leaped in beside her. And soon they were seated, warmlv and snugly wrapped, and traveling merrily "over the frozen ground. Til fi fnrocl onrloH nnnr fVimr trow eled more swiftly. A delicious drowsi ness overcame Helene; she slept, her head upon-her lover's shoulder, ner- fectly content and-never. doubting tiu tnat Jier fairy prince nad come for her at last. She awoke with, a start to find that they were entering the. suburbs of a" large city. For a moment the change" from, the peaceful forest and snow bound land startled her; then, con tented, she slipped her hand Into her lover's and waited. SheTiad not even " aked where he was taking her until tne sleigh stopped at the door of a mansion, brilliantly liEhted. set in a- large garden. Then her lover leaped froA his seat and the bell pealed; the.