Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (www.canadiana.org)) Medoline Selwyn's Work. BY MRS. J. J. COLTER. BOSTON: IRA BRADLEY & CO. COPYRIGHT, 1889. "The golden opportunity. Is never offered twice: seize, then, the hour When Fortune smiles and Duty points the way; Nor shrink aside to 'scape the fear.-- Nor pause though Pleasure beckon from her bower, But bravely bear thee onward to the goal" CHAPTER. I. Mrs. Blake II. Oaklands III. Esmerelda IV. The Funeral V. A New Accomplishment Learned VI. Mr. Winthrop VII. Examination VIII. Mrs. Larkum IX. An Evening Walk X. A Helping Hand XI. City Life XII. New Acquaintances XIII. Alone With His Dead XIV. Humble Charities XV. A Pleasant Surprise XVI. Hope Realized XVII. Christmas-tide XVIII. The Christmas Tree XIX. Three Important Letters XX. Mrs. Le Grande XXI. Mrs. Le Grande's Story XXII. The Changed Heart XXIII. The Encounter at St. Mark's XXIV. Mrs. Le Grande's Stratagem XXV. Beech Street Worshippers XXVI. From The Depths XXVII. Convalescence XXVIII. The Sound of Marriage Bells XXIX. The End MEDOLINE SELWYN'S WORK. CHAPTER I. MRS. BLAKE. The cars were not over-crowded, and were moving leisurely along in the soft, midsummer twilight. At first, I had felt a trifle annoyed at my carelessness in missing the Express by which I had been expected; but now I quite enjoyed going in this mixed train, since I could the better observe the country than in the swifter Express. As I drew near the end of my journey, my pulses began to quicken with nervousness, not unmixed with dread.