A young girl's life is often filled with mystery, and there are happenings that turn girlhood to womanhood in a single hour.

Love has power to change the nature as by magic, and sorrow also has a like rare gift.

Do you still greatly wish to find this Elsa Matherson ?" "To find her ?" and I gazed about me incredulously into those flitting shadows where the waves raced by.

"Ay, for I have dreamed of her as of a lost sister, and it will sadly grieve those at home to have me return thus empty-handed.

Yet the thought is foolishness, Mademoiselle, and I understand not why you should mock me so." She drew closer, in the gentle caressing way she had, and found my disengaged hand, her sweet face held upward so that I could mark every changing expression.
"Never in my useless life was I farther removed from any spirit of mockery," she insisted, soberly; "for never before have I seen the presence of God so clearly manifest in His mysterious guidance of men.
You, who sought after poor Elsa Matherson in this wilderness, looking perchance for a helpless orphan child, have been led to pluck me in safety out from savage hands, and yet never once dreamed that in doing so you only fulfilled your earlier mission." I stared at her, grasping with difficulty the full significance of her speech.
"Your words puzzle me." "Nay, they need not," and I caught the sudden glitter of tears on her lashes; "for I am Elsa Matherson." "You?
you ?" and I crushed her soft hand within my fingers, as I peered forward at the quickly lowered face.