Waiting For Her—A Mesmerists' Story.

into contact with the large curb-stone at the corner of the bridge , into the road again . " Another dash made by the off horse , another sAverving of the coach and she Avas thrown violently over on her side , and tAvo

horses fell to the ground . " Hi ! lad , here ; not a moment to spare , " I shouted to the boy , Avho hurried to my assistance , and by great exertions AA' 6 broke open the door and helped the ladies out . " Poor tilings ! theyAvere both hurt seriously ,

though not so seriously as I feared . The coach was smashed in at one side , and the coachman lay with his leg broken at some distance from the vehicle . The horses Avere soon disengaged from the harnessand the old gentlemanwho

, , , wonderful to say , had got off Avith only a few bruises , rode off on one of them in search of a doctor , I determined to take the ladies back with me to Reading , leaving the guard , Avho Avas almost uninjured , to attend to the coachman and the horses .

" Poor Milly ! IIOAV brave she Avas . I helped her up A'ery tenderly , you may be sure ; her arm Avas broken , but she bore the pain so quietly , bidding me only look after aunt Frances , Avho was very much terrified , and Avhose nerves appeared to have been terriby shaken by the unfortunate mishap , but AA'I IO AA'as other \ A'ise uninjured as far as I could learn .

" ' Herbert , ' she said presently , ' AAIU you forgive me behaving so unkindl y to you as I did to-day ? I am very grateful to you for coming to our assistance Avhen you did . I feel somehoAv as if I OAved my life to you—and you can do with me Avhat you like now . '

" ' Thank you , dear , ' I said quietly , ' I shall always love you . ' That Avas all the answer I made . " We got back to Reading , and as we had no friends there , the ladies stopped at the George and Dragon , and I determined to

stay by them until some one should come to take charge of them , or they should be able to go on to London . " Vou see Ave had no telegraphs then , and no express trains to summon or bring our friends in an hour or two after the accident

had happened . " We are in advance of the good old times at all events in those respects . It would take two days at least to bring our friends from Bath , and a Avhole clay or more to

get to London . So I remained Avhere I Avas as cavalier servanle to my lady love , simply . writing to my father and to Milly ' s telling what had happened . "The few days that folloAved , my dears . Avere the happiest in my life , I think . "Aunt Frances—I used to call her so ,

though she was no actual relation of mine , only an old friend of my mother ' s—Avas A'ery poorly the next clay , and poor Milly was quite feverish and IOAV ; but yet she would not obey the doctor ' s directions to stay in bed after the second day , but AVOUICI come doAvn stairs into the parlour ( I had taken private rooms for the party ) and talk to me .

" Oh ! IIOAV I drank in the music of her voice . " How I listened and looked , and loA'ed I knew she Avas grateful to me for saving her life , she said , though I don't knoAV that I did that exactly , and I felt that she Avas mistaking that sentiment for loA'e .

"She thought at that time that she might some day , that she did then , return my affection . She was , oh , so kind and gentle to me in those days , and never Avas s ! aA'e more Avilling than I to Avail upon her , and obey her behests . It AA'as one long golden

dream . I kneAV it could not last lone ; . I knew the spell would be broken soon . I knew that in a few days , perhaps a Aveek at the farthest , her mother , Avho Ave had heard Avas getting better , AVOUICI send some one for her , and I knew that when that some one came I must be gone . The arm

was obstinate , or the surgeon unskilful , and Avhat should have taken only a fortnight or so , took a month or more . " And as the days Avore on we became more and more to each other . Milly Avas becoming all the world to me , and I Avas ceasing to be merely a pleasant passing

acquaintance in her eyes , but a warm admiring friend . Sometimes I used to fancy that she loved me , but I soon found that loA-e was only gratitude . I think at that time , my clears , Milly would have married me ; but I kneAV it AVOUICI

not have been for love and love onl y , and I scorned to take her , simply for gratitude ' s sake . AVas I right , I Avonder , in going away as I did Avithout saying another word ? " I don ' t know , I only know that she Avas my heart ' s OAVH idol , and I Avas waiting for her '' ( To be continued . )