THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 347 
nal breast, but they were failures, so she finally 
put forth one of her hands and placed it in that 
of her suitor, and then, with her face close hid¬ 
den to conceal her excess of joy, she allowed 
him to press it to his lips and put his own con¬ 
struction on the act. The sequel need not be 
detailed. 
Another year has passed, and the elegant 
family mansion inherited by Davidson has a 
new mistress, while near by the widow Farley 
inhabits a neat modern cottage, where she is 
passing the evening of life with a beauty which, 
like a summer sunsetting, grows brighter and 
brighter as it nears the final decline. The little 
brown cottage at Willow Brook has been deeded 
to trustees, with directions to give it rent free to 
such needy widows as from time to time may 
be deemed worthy of such a favor. 
Rudolph has taken his partner-in-law in the 
person of Minnie Dean, and thus the two stu¬ 
dents have found something worth living for, 
and have indefinitely postponed their intention 
to cultivate the rough companionship of the 
denizens of the Rocky Mountains. 
Earnest and active in all the duties of a true 
