did not know it. By and by, because her manner troubled him, he began to speak of Violet as the next best subject of conversation. And Martha braced herself to expiate her morning's sin of jealousy. "Pattie," however, "Pattie" who had been given several inches only an hour ago, asserted herself, loudly demanding her ell. The dramatic quality of this piteous little penance appealed to her imagination. What she did she would do well. With breaking heart, she would throw all her strength into the work. She, "Pattie, would help her rival to this happiness that was not for her. Martha spoke.

"She is a dear child, isn't she? I ought not to say 'child.' She is older than I, but I always forget it, because she is so-so pretty and and sweet, and-little."

"She is pretty," Mr. Armitage agreed; and the pain that made her spirit wince at his words nerved "Pattie" to break out at last and say her say. Martha, her dominion already shaken, gave way at once.

"She is a darling," she cried breathlessly. "No one knows how good and noble and dear she is but I. I have known her since she was a child, and she has never been anything but lovely to me. It isn't everyone that would be always loving and sweet to a bear like me; but she is never cross for a minute. No wonder everyone loves her. I-I do myself, though I'm not much given I—I to caring about people. And I never knew a man who didn't fall down and worship her. She has such wonderful charmShe stopped a moment to take breath and think what more there was that she could say of her friend. And in that momentary pause she had time to be amazed at her own unwonted flow of enthusiasm. In that moment, too, James Armitage recovered from his surprise at her strange outburst, and seized his opportunity.

"I like Miss Andrews awfully," he remarked, leaning forward and playing with the teaspoons on the silver tray, "but I don't think it's a proof of nobility exactly that she should be fond of you, Miss Endicott. Besides, I—if you don't mind I came for a special purpose this afternoon, and it has nothing to do with Miss Andrews." He drew a quick breath and looked about the rigid, mathematically or

dered room with a sense of oppression; then at Martha, a changed Martha, whom the surroundings no longer suited, as they had done before. "Suppose we go out into the garden," he said, with frank joy in his inspired suggestion. "Pattie's" spirit was broken; her splendid effort had been checked, not to say snubbed, and bewildered into dumb obedience, she led the way to the bench under the horse-chestnut, and sat down, meekly yielding to his will. Jim Armitage stood before her. Here he could breathe and speak, and at last he would test the value of his long, slow wooing.

"Martha," he said firmly, "I want to tell you that I love you. I want you to be my wife. I have not told you before, because I didn't want to startle you; but now—you must have seen-have understoodHis control gave way a little, and he checked himself, looking down entreatingly into her scared blue eyes. Martha swallowed once. She had forgotten Violet. She did not care what "Pattie" would have done. She no longer wanted red-brown curls, and Jim was taller than she, anyhow, so what need to mitigate her height. He loved her! But she must answer him somehow, and as usual the words would not come. "Pattie" and Martha were indeed fused, but she was none the less tongue-tied. Her whole being was locked in a vast silence of humble wonder. Then, fearing her stillness, Jim held out his hands in eager appeal. "Child," he said, "don't look like that. Speak to me. Tell me that you will try at least to care for me." Of a sudden the humor of it penetrated to Martha's brain. "Try to care"-she who had been fighting through four slow moving seasons against her love for him. Her lips quivered, and a merry smile widened the big mouth. Then she rose, and a trembling laugh startled the listening lilacs.

"I don't have to try," she said, and behold she was in his arms.

"Martha, my love," he breathed, "my little Pattie! May I call you that? You have always been Pattie to me. My love, my Pattie!" A long shudder swept over her, and the last bars went tumbling down.

"O Jim," she gasped, "I-I want to cry, b—but I can't," and she sobbed on his shoulder.

BOUT a hundred miles south of Susa, at the eastern end of the Desert of Sahara, in Tunis, stands one of the most remarkable monuments of antiquity, the great amphitheatre of El Djem, the ancient Thysdrus or Thysdritana Colonia of the Romans, first mentioned in history by Hirtius. After the defeat of Scipio at Thapsus it submitted to Cæsar. It was here that the proconsul Gordian was proclaimed Emperor, A.D. 238. This majestic building is almost as large as the Coliseum at Rome, its major axis being only forty feet shorter. The architect here in some respects surpassed in magnificence all other edifices of this kind.

At the close of the third Punic War Rome became mistress of the whole African coast from Egypt to the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly afterward Africa became the stronghold of the Pom

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