" It is so much more feminine, my dear," she urged. 80 Milly kept to the lace ruffles. She was sitting in a low rocking chair, rooking slowly bsckwards and forwards—very oomfortable, though the autumn winds were wailing "JriUfousty outside, bringing down • ihowor of

leaves with each blast A large Angora cat, with four kittens like mi animated ball of mow* white fluff, was lying on tbo rug, blinking her eyes, with her progeny skipping around. But Milly was too much engrosed to notice even the kittens. Her fair face was bent over a heap of patterns of white satin lying in her lap, and 'he was smiling to herself at the pleasant thought of choosing her wedding dress. The satin lay unheeded at last, and Milly leaned back and gave hewelf up to forid fancies and sweet and happy dreams of the luture, in which Algy, her brave, handsome Algy, always bore a prominent part. She was so lost in thought that the never heard the swing and clang of the gate or a step coming up the avenue, and she looked up with a start when the door opened and Cap* tain Enollys was announced, and Max, graver and sterner than usual, entered the ro)m. Colouring crimson, Milly started up, the white satin patterns fluttering to the fl >or. Max coloured too, through his brown skin, as he shook hands, and gravely assisted her to pick them up. " This tells its own tale," ho said, smiling, holding one of the shining pearly scr >ps be tween his fingers, •' and spc >ks of orange flowers and wedding cake." He was laugh ing fairly now at her confusion. " I huve come to say good-bye," he said, growing grare again. "I cross over to-mo-row night." "So soon!" exclaimed Milly. " Algy told me he was going to persuade you to stay for —for—

"Yes, for his wedding," supplied Max, with a mdden hardening of the voice. " I can't though, I have to go immediately." "I am so sorry," said Milly, simply. " Algy will be disappointed." " You are sorry only for Algy'a sake, then P My presence doesn't count one way or the other ?" interrogated Max, looking into her face with the old disappointed expression in his eyes. 