May Mason.

The child had changed so that Rica at first almost doubted if she was the once fat , rosy-cheeked May . Thin , white , with a sickly pallor , her eyes heavy and sunken , lier whole form wasted , too weak even to hold her head up . " She looks like her

dead mother , " thought Rica , as , with tears in her eyes , she went towards her . " Where is auntie ' s pet ? " she asked in the old way , as near as she could with the pain she felt in her heart . May smileda weaksadsatisfied smile ,

, , , and tried to put out her hands . Rica took her in her arms , petting and kissing her , while May lay perfectly still and content . When Mr . Gerard came into the room , she looked up and said prettily" Auntie

, come , me kiss you ; me good baby now ; me naughty no more . " And she was not naughty , but she was very , very sick . For days and nights she was not out of Rica ' s arms . For when little clinging hands are about your neekand a little life rests on

, your care , you are not very apt to tear the hands away , or withold your care , on the selfish plea of being physically tired yourself . Any way , Rica St . John was not one to do so . The perfect trust with which May rested in her love , made that love rise

sufficient for all she must endure for her , and she kept her watch faithfully , and was rewarded at last by seeing the child grow a little better .

May was lying asleep on a pillow in Rica ' s lap one afternoon , when the nurse girl entered with a card in her hand . " Hugh Harrison , " Riea read , and whispered , " Where is he ?" " Down stairs , " whispered back . "Tell him I cannot see him . I am with a sick child . "

" I told him so , but he says he must see you . If you can not come down , he will come up here . " " Tell him I cannot do the one , and he must not do the other . " '' Perhaps we could lay her on the bed . He said he would only keep you a moment ,

and if yon don ' t go down , I am sure he'll come up , he is awful determined-looking . " They succeeded in getting the child on the bed without awakening her , and then Riea went down stairs . She never stopped to think of herself or realize her tired and exhausted state , till she entered the

parlour to meet Hugh Harrison , the first time after their quarrel , which had broken an engagement between them , if it had not broken their hearts . She had laid her burden out of her arms fen- a moment , and it was as though everything had gone from

her , even strength to hold herself up , to speak or to act . " Rica , for heaven ' s sake , how you look !" He started forward and steadied her into a chair . While she , perfectly unnerved , burst into violent weeping . The nerves ,

strained to their utmost the past weeks , whatever they mig ht have undergone before , were taking their revenge , Hugh ' s inopportune visit being the last straw . It was some time before she could control herself ; she cried from sheer mortification at last , at showing herself so weak to Hugh , of all others in the world . " How came you here 1 " she asked ,

after regaining control of her tongue . " I came for you , " said he quietly , " and it is well . I was detained on the yacht and only reached Newport yesterday . George told me you had gone crazy ; bad come to this place to nurse a Mason ' s baby through scarlet or spotted feveror

, small pox , for all he knew . And begged me , if I had any Masonic power , to use it here , aud take the child from you , if I could not take you from the child , before you had taken the disease yourself and died . I promised to bring you back

with me to-morrow , but you must leave this house immediately . " He spoke in his old imperative way . It was pleasant to Rica to hear it again , and she lay back in the chair watching him walk up and clown the room , thinking how quick he had fallen back to his old natural manner , and how , like " old times , " it

was . He turned , caught the amused smile on her face—she looked more natural with it—and colouring slightly , he said , taking her hand in his , " Riea , there is not to be any more foolishness between us , and wc will not mind for explanations . I have

the right to take you away , for yon are worn out and ill . We will have a dozen nurses for the baby , but yon must go with me . " " I must not go with you , " she answered gently , but she left her hand in his ; " the baby needs me— "