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Mrs Baxter displayed soh They comprised a resolute avoidance of Laurie's nanity, and a touch of patronage And the interpretation of these things was that the old lady did not wish the subject to beher best ignore and forget it Maggie felt, again, vaguely comforted; it left her a freer hand

She lay awake a long tiht

Her room was a little square one on the top of the stairs, above the s-room where she had that odd scene with Laurie aout upon the yealk that led to the orchard It was a cheerful little place enough, papered in brown, hung all over ater colors, with her bed in one corner; and it looked a reassuring faht, as she lay open-eyed and thinking

It was not that she was at all frightened; it was no more than a little natural anxiety; and half a dozen ti, she turned resolutely over in bed, dismissed the little pictures that her an to think of pleasant, sane subjects

But the inettes--Laurie talking to a severe-looking talltea with Mrs Stapleton; Laurie in an e at a closed door

It was this last picture that recurred three or four ti off into sleep; and it had therefore that particular vividness that characterizes the thoughts when the conscious attention is dor effect upon her; and she could not iine why

After the third return of it her sense of humor came to the rescue: it was too ridiculous, she said, to be alarmed at an empty room and Laurie's back Once ht, and resolved, if it recurred again, to exaht followed thought, in those quiet waves that lull the mind towards sleep; finally once more the picture was there, clear and distinct

Yes; she would look at it this time

It was a bare room, wainscoted round the walls a few inches up, papered beyond in some common palish pattern Laurie stood in the center of the uncarpeted boards, with his back turned to her, looking, it seemed, with an intense expectation at the very dull door in the wall opposite hi dress, she saw, knee-breeches and buckles all co held out a little fro a little, stared at the door