“‘Alas! alas!’ cried the Fairy, wringing her hands, with a burst of sudden grief, ’whether thou goest or remainest now, Ada must be wretched.’

“‘Not so,’ returned the shade, in a voice whose sweetness, from its melancholy, was like the wailing of plaintive music; ’not so, if thou wilt otherwise.  Thou hast erred; from the shades of Love thou didst select me, and, panting as we each do for sole possession of the heart we occupy, it is impossible either separately can bring happiness to it.  Each has striven for ages, but in vain.  It is the union of the three, the perfect union, that alone makes Love complete.’

“‘But will Mind and Virtue return?’ asked the Fairy, doubtingly; ’I bid them myself depart.’

“‘They will ever return,’ said Beauty, joyfully, ’even to the heart most under sway, if desired in truth.  A wish, sometimes-fervent and truthful it must be, but still a wish-alone often brings them.’

“At that moment a hurried prayer sprang to the Fairy’s lips, but ere it could frame itself into words, light filled the little chamber, and the three shades of Love stood there once more, beautiful and shining.

“‘Mighty beings,’ said the spirit, ’forgive me.  Attend Ada united and forever, and I shall then have fulfilled my destiny.’

“‘We promise,’ returned the shades; and gazing for a few moments in earnest fondness on the dreamer’s happy face, the Fairy bade a last farewell to her well-loved charge.”

“Where did you find this strange tale?” inquired Dawn, as soon as her friend had finished.

“In Ralph’s folio of drawings, which he loaned me a few days ago.”

“Have you the folio here?”

“No, I left it at home; but took some of his last sketches to copy, or rather study.”

“I did not know you could sketch.”

“I do not; but Ralph is teaching me.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Very much, with him for instructor.  I should not like any one else to teach me.”

“How do you know that, as you have never tried any other?”

“We know some things intuitively; as I know that you love this man, though no words of yours have ever lisped that love to a living being.”

“Edith!”

“Dawn, it’s true; and may I not know the reason why you so steel your heart against him?”

“I steel my heart against him?  Who told you that?”

“Some Fairy, perchance; but seriously, my dear friend, answer me, and forgive me if I seem curious and intrusive.  Do you know aught against him?  Is he not high, and good, and noble?”

“For aught I know he has all those qualities of heart and soul which would draw any woman’s heart towards him.”

“Then you cannot love him, save as a brother, or you would respond to his longing to take you to himself, and help you in your labors.”

“Edith, how do you know this?  Has he thus laid his feelings before another?  I could not ever reverence one who could do this.”