She resolved never to tell Hawthorne of that broken engagement. She felt that she could almost die of shame to have him find it out. "I must keep that secret from him, and I must never tell him, either, that I tried to throw away my life when I thought him married to another. I should not like him to know quite how fondly I love him!" she thought, with sensitive maiden pride. Then Hawthorne had to tear himself away. "To-morrow is Christmas, and I shall try to spend it with you," he said, fondly. "But I may be kept from your side by a fire, for there are always so many on Christmas Day. So, if I fail to come, don't let Standish create any misunderstandings between us again," he laughed, secure in the thought that his enemy was safe in prison. Geraldine promised very sincerely to trust her love, in spite of a hundred plots against him, and then they called Cissy in, and told her happily of their betrothal. "I am the happiest man in New York to-night," he said, as he bade them good-night, leaving them to their sweet, girlish confidences. CHAPTER XX. "LOVE IS THE BEST OF ALL." This golden ring, love, take, And wear it for my sake When I am far away; And nightly we will pray The dear God's pity on our pain, That we may meet again, Our partings o'er, our sorrows past, You mine, I yours, at last! MRS. ALEX. MCVEIGH MILLER. How much the two happy girls had to say to each other, when Hawthorne was gone! It was long past midnight when they retired, and the joyous Christmas sounds were already filling the air. Even then they could not sleep, they had so many things to tell of all that had happened since they were parted from each other. "I am quite cured of my passion for the stage. It seems to me that all actors must be deceitful villains!" cried Geraldine, and Cissy agreed with her, glad of her disillusionment. "Do you think, Cissy," pursued Geraldine, "that I could get back my place at O'Neill's with you? Oh, I would be so glad to get back again!" "We will try to manage it," replied Cissy. "One of the girls is to be married soon after New Year's, and perhaps you can have her place. I'll see about it as soon as I go back to the store; but we have Christmas holiday to-morrow." "Yes; what a happy Christmas it will be for me!" cried Geraldine, thinking of what might have been, with a shudder. She laughed, to choke back a sob, and continued: "Let's hang up our stockings to-morrow night, as it's too late now, and fill them for each other as we did last Christmas." "Agreed, my dear; it will be great fun," laughed Cissy, and added: "I suppose your Christmas gift from Mr. Hawthorne will be--an engagement-ring." "Oh, Cissy, how nice that would be! Do you think he can afford it? Firemen aren't very rich, are they?" naively.