ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS. 9]

CHAPTER V

For more than two months, Rose and Ed-
ward did not meet again; for more than four
after that, he never entered the cottage which
had contained what he held most dear on earth;
but one evening he called with Mr. Stokes. The
good rector might have had his own reasons for
bringing the young man to the cottage; but if
he had he kept them to himself, the best way of
rendering them effective.

After that, Edward often came, sometimes
with a book from the rectory, sometimes with a
newspaper for Mrs. Myles, sometimes to know
if he could do anything for the old lady in the
next town, where he was going, sometimes for
one thing, sometimes for another, but always
with some excuse, which Rose was happy to
accept as the true one+ satisfied that she could
see him, hear him, know that he was there.

It so chanced that, calling one evening (even-
ing calls are suspicious where young people are
concerned,) Edward was told that Mrs. Myles
had gone over to Lothery, the next post town,
and that Miss Rose was out. The servant
(ever since Helen’s marriage, Mrs. Myles had
thought it due to her dignity to employ such a
person) sai@ this with an air of mystery, and
Edward inquired which way Miss Rose had
walked. Indeed, she did not know.