CHAPTER XIX.
A Pale-Blue Hair Ribbon She in her virginal beauty As pure as a pictured saint, How should this sinning and sorrow Have for her danger or taint?
The reason our sweet pale Margaret had been reluctant of her smiles was on account of the very man who alone missed them.
Quite a warm friendship had sprung up during the month between the little fair-faced girl, who looked with such serene blue eyes to a future she felt must be beautiful, and the world-worn man, who looked back to a past all blackened and unlovely by his own acts.
He rode with the two girls every-day, because Mrs.Hassal did not like them going long distances alone; and, seeing Judy seldom walked her horse, and Meg's steed had not a canter in it, it fell out that he kept beside the slow and timid rider all the time.
"You remind me of a little sister I had who died," he said slowly to Meg once, after a long talk.

"Perhaps if she were alive now I should not be quite so contemptible." Meg's face flushed scarlet, and a shamed look had come into her eyes.
It seemed altogether terrible to her that he should know she knew of his failing.
"Perhaps it makes her sorry now," she said in a whisper he scarcely heard, and then she grew pale at her boldness, and rode on a little way to hide her distressed looks.
On the way home the pale-blue ribbon, that tied the strands of her sunny plait together, blew off.

He dismounted and picked it up.
Meg stretched out her hand for it, but he untied the bow and folded it slowly round his big hand.
"May I keep it ?" he said in a low voice.

"For my blue ribbon?
I know the conditions that attach." "If you would--oh, if you would!" Meg breathed rather than said.
Then Judy galloped up and they rode home three abreast.

It was such happiness to her all the hot, long days that followed; to a girl just entering life there can be no purer, deeper feeling of pleasure than that brought by the knowledge that she is influencing for good some man or woman older than herself, more sin-worn and earth-wearied.