“She wouldn’t pay any price, even a farthing’s worth!” “You don’t mean to say that she intends to let it go on?” “Never mind what I intend to say, I’ll tell you in time enough. Turn the horse round a bit, the wheel is in the way of the step and I want to get in. What’s the matter with you two? Don’t you know how to manage a horse? You keep the thing prancing about so much I can’t get on the step.” “It--it’s not me, Miss Vance,” declared Mr. Bodwin; “it’s you; you’re frightening it by rattling that bell and slipping off the step so often, and it simply won’t stand still!” “Oh! it won’t, eh? Thinks it can play tricks on me like every one else this evening, does it? I’ll show it--the beast!” Her temper was up now in real earnest. She lurched away from the side of the vehicle after still another futile effort to keep her foothold upon the step, and by the time the two men divined her intention she was halfway to the horse’s head. “Stop!” screeched out Mr. Milton Dante. “Miss Vance, for Heaven’s sake!” began Mr. Bodwin; but both cries fell upon deaf ears. Blind with rage and maddened with drink, she rushed at the horse’s head, caught at the bridle with one hand, and with the other struck it full in the face. “Defy me, will you, you beast?” she began, and then--spoke never again! The reins that Mr. Bodwin was holding slackened suddenly and curved in a loop between his knees for one instant before they drew taut again; the horse reared in terror, an awful figure in the dark of the night, over the small slight shape which for two seconds stood erect in the pathway, then came a thud of descending hoofs and a little bleat of agony, and in the winking of an eye men and vehicle were being whirled off through the darkness by a runaway horse, and all that was mortal of the woman whose loveliness had charmed all Crumplesea to-night lay huddled up in the dust with one arm twisted under it and its skull crushed in like an eggshell. * * * * * On the following day, Berry--who had lain awake all night, wondering what she ought to do, and finally resolving to find her niece and save her from the disgrace that threatened her--lost no time in tracing the unhappy girl. To her surprise, she was charmed with her niece, after only an hour’s talk with Dora. Childless herself, and loving children dearly, Berry welcomed Dora to her heart and home; and when Charles returned from America, he, too, rejoiced in Berry’s happiness. Thus Dora found in Berry a mother who deserved and won her love, and in Charles a kind father, to take the place of one whom she had never known. THE END. No. 1173 of the NEW EAGLE SERIES, by Charlotte May Stanley, is entitled “Could He Have Known.” * * * * * Love Stories There is a great deal of difference between love stories and sex stories. There is something about _love_ which commands respect and reverence.