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Alda recovered slowly, but not a word, not a hint did she hear about the distressing event that had occurred at Valley Farm. She noticod the sober faces of the family, but attributed everything to their anxiety on her account, and in her gentle heart was grateful. She convalesced slowly. Uncle Sam petted her continually. " You are so good to me, guardie," she said, gratefully, and could not think what made the tears start to his kind old eyes. For Mark, Uncle Sam felt almost con tempt. How could he marry his young couein, and, having wedded her, be such a slave to procrastination as he had been? Uncle Sam could not understand it, even though Mark had come to him and bravely acknowledged, everything, not sparing him self in the. least. He could understand one tiling-^ Mark had dreaded to tell hip mother, but that, was all., * , >, Mrs; Maynard's,, haughty spirit seemed brokerirand she* blamed herself, for all that ihad, occurred.* , She had -repelled her son's oojbfidencefrom infancy, phidinghim harshly f|or anyjthjong-doing, until he had commenced teeping^Jus , ppyish secret^ through fear of ais mother's wrath, "CandiceJ from the day'

CHAPTER VIII. FLITTINGS.
