The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-10-31

her doom. Day after day went by, and
the familiar tap of her Grutch sounded no
more on the floor. l grew uneasy.
Perhaps she is ill-alone-in want" |
thought.
And the more Ipondcred on the matter,
the more uneasy felt.
"Perhaps she is dead ~
And with that last overwhelming thought
came the full revelation of my own heart.
| had grown to love He;ty Dorrunce.
Well, why not l could afford wife as
well us most men. Hetty was only II work
girl, and lame also; but she had face like
an angel, and II heart us white as lily
OF that l felt certain. | loved her why
should l not marry herr
SO sat down and wrote her "a little note
saying simply that l loved her, and asked
her it she would consent to become my
wife; and concluded by saying that |
would call on the morrow to receive her
answer.
Just as had sent my letter off, there
came knock ut the door.
NH. Harvey, are you alone Can l
speak to you for one mlnute?"
SIS that you, Helena Arden9 Why, l
thought you were hurried and gone to
California, crleu.
81 am n.arricd-to spendthrilt and u
villain p said she, with little, hoarse
laugh land | am going to California to-
morrow but | wanted to say word to
you first. l want to pay you for something"
For what 2"
THAT roll Of work which people accused
Hetty Dorrance, the lame girl for taking"
Helena Did you take it Z"
YES" she cried, recklessly. II took it
| wanted money sorely then; the landla-
dy wouldn't let me have my trunks to be
married until paid her what l owed her.
l was standing by lame Hetty that even
ing, saw her lay the piles of work on the
desk. saw them slip and fall off the heap.
| was just going away. and it was an easy
thing for me to stoop, as if for my own
pocket handkerchief, and pick them up.
| pawned them, thinking l could easily re-
deem them; but 1 never did. Here is
money to pay for them. | hope Hetty
was not blamed"
"She was, though" said /, slowly.
81 can't help it," said Helena Tightly.
"Tve done my best. Win you see that she
is righted ~
"As far as | can"
And Helena went away, muttering to
herself something about all her accounts
being closed at last l paid but little at.
tention to it at the time, but l remembered
it afterwards.
Invent the next evening to Hetty's sim
pie lodgings over q bakers shop.
Miss Dorrance !" said the bakers wife,
coming out ola back room, with baby in
her arms. "Why didn't you know? She
moved away"
"Moved And my letter 2"
ave got letter here yesterday, sir, and
we forwarded it to her. No. 3G Avenue
Square, sir"
So went to No. &c Avenue Square-a
little gem ola brown stone house, all bay
windows and balconies, standing in its
own grounds; and there was Hetty at the
easement, watching for me.
"Hetty," said |, did you get my letter? ~
"Yes, Mr.. Harvey"
Sand what is your answer ~
THAT will be your wife, Mr.. Harvey,
and that am-oh, so thankful to have
gained good mans love y
stopped and kissed her daisy face.
81 suppose you are working here, I[etty,
said |. ut is handsome house,
mo-" said lletty, hall laughing ana
half crying, live here"
"Hetty, you ?"
"My great uncle died." said Hetty. "He
was an old bachelor, and hated us all but
he couldn't take his money with him. l
have inherited his fortune"
SIT cannot be possible" said l, rubbing
my forehead.
"But it is possible" said Hctty, land it
is true. was just going to send to you
to pay that Observation-Disclosures back,
when got your letter"
81 have been paid, my girl" said l; and
| told her about Helena Arden.
The next day we saw little paragraph
in the papers, how an unknown woman,
with the words Helena Arden,' written
on her pocket-handkerchief, had drowned
herself at the foot Of one of the crowded
East River piers.
This is my story. 1t is simple enough ;
and yet, think, it has the elements of ro-
nance in it.