The Glen at Break of Day 359

gregation, I can at least send your mother word
that you still live. But if anything should hap-
pen to me, I want you —”

But I could not say what I had come back to
say. I had meant to ask him, in the event of
my death, to take a hundred pounds which were
the savings of my life; but now I saw that this
might lead to Margaret’s hearing of me, and so |
stayed my words. It was bitter to me this, and
yet, after all, a little thing when put beside the
rest. :

“ Good-bye, Mr. Dishart,” I said, abruptly. I
then looked at my desk, which contained some
trifles that were once Margaret’s. ‘Should any-
thing happen to me,” I said, “I want that old
desk to be destroyed unopened.”

“ Mr. Ogilvy,” he answered, gently, “you are
venturing this because you loved my mother. If
anything does befall you, be assured that I will
tell her what you attempted for her sake.”

I believe he thought it was to make some such
request that I had turned back.

‘You must tell her nothing about me,” I
exclaimed, in consternation. “Swear that my
name will never cross your lips before her. No,
that is not enough. You must forget me utterly
whether I live or die, lest sometime you should
think of me and she should read your thoughts.
Swear, man!”

“ Must this be?” he said, gazing at me.

“Yes,” I answered, more calmly, “it must be.
For nearly a score of years I have been blotted
out of your mother’s life, and since she came to
Thrums my one care has been to keep my exist-