The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-26


and anxious. ,:.,.
Ina moment Harvey had flown to her side
"please allow me to carry some OF your
parcels" he said, lifting his hat as he spoke
"T1ank YOU. have only few steps to
10" answered Josie, hurrylng forward her'
vously.
said, noting her nervous manner Il VII!
not annoy YOU. Why will you not believe
nv respect for you is as great as my love-
And before he knew exactly where his
words were leading him, the young man was
renewing the offer he had made before.
Under the doorway of "A small tenement
house Josie stopped and faced him.
you have spoken so to me before, Alr
rockingham" she said gently, land because
think you are sincere will tell you what
have kept secret for six months. am al
ready married.
Josie Hurry! Why do you stand there =
cried voice IN the narrow hallway, and
man stepped into the bar of light thrown
across the open door by a street lamp.
Erred Holman" muttered Harvey, start
ing forward Married and to Fred Hol.
man"
1t almost consoled him IN his disappoint.
ment to think of the hold he had upon his
rival. Engaged to Maud Chesterton, and
married to Josie Ormund Fancy the proud
face when she knew she had been deceived
tor a girl who worked IN a factory. And
sweetcr still was 1t 10 Harvey rockingham
to think Of the wrath Of James rutherford
when the news reached him.
Bat in his triumph Harvey rockingham
resolved to be very cautious, to have strong
proof OF his rivals marriage before yentur,
ing to accuse him TO his uncle or his be
! trothed.
He noticed the number of the house in
the glare Of the street lamp: NO % Ralph
street
This was the entry made IN his note book
in case his memory proved treacherous.
1t seemed to him that fortune favored his
plans. Only the next day, happening to go
into large fruit and flower store, he saw
Fred Holman selecting the contents Of a
large fancy basket of choicest fruits and rar-
est blossoms.
Nodding carelessly TO Harvey, he wrote
the address upon the card, and attached it to
The basket
"You will send this at once" he said, and
then left the store.
And Harvey, taking the place Fred had
just vacated, read the card
Mrs. f. Holman, % Ralph street
What proof was needed now? 1t was rot
in the nature of Harvey rockingham to work
openly IN any scheme. A blow in the dark
suited him better
Feeling sure Of his position now, he hur-
ried homeward to write two anonymous let
ters that would, he tondiy hoped, disinherit
and utterly cOntound his so long successful
rival.
One of these venomous missives found
Maude Chesterton in her pretty boudolr,
triaing with some embroidery and dream
ing sweet dreams Of her love and Fred Hol. |
mans devotion.
She was a handsome, dignltied girl OF nine.
teen, full of womanly sweetness, and unspoil- |
ed by her great wealth.
She loved Fred Holman with the whole |
strength of her young heart, and she was sure
that her love was returned
With the divine intuition of true love, she
knew that were she beggared or detormed,
Fred would still love her all the same
Not for her money had he sought her for
his wife, not even to please his uncle. He
loved her
The dainty work under the slender fingers,
progressed but slowly as Maude lay back in |
her deep arm chair, looking into the glowing
CRATE fire, and building castles of future hap.
pincss.
From this tender revere she was aroused
by o servant, who handed her a squarely- |
folded letter, awkwardly addressed, and fas-
tened with wafer.
Wondering who her unknown correspon-
deut could be, she opened the paper. The
same struggling handwriting met her eyes.
only few lines written;
"lf you would have proof OF the falsehood Of
one you believe true, 90 at o'clock this evening
10 the second floor Of No. IS Ralph street and |
you will find Mr.. Frederick Holman with his |
WIFE,
anonymous" the proud girl said, her |
lips curling and her eyes flashing. THE
liarr'
She threw the note upon the Goals as she
spoke, and watched the flames curl and
blacken the paper till 1t flashed out of sight
up the chimney.
Then with the color stricken from her face,
she took up her embroidery.
Had Harvey watched her then he would
have though his poisoned arrow has missed
its aim.
But it was not so. The work was thrown
aside, the piano rang out under the restless
fingers, novel was opened, Il room put in
order, but while the calm face betrayed no
secret suffering, the girl was tortured all day
by the words of the anonymous note:
"Frederick Holman and his wife,
Could i, be? Had the frank, brown eyes |
that had looked SO lovingly into hers mir.
rored only Il false heart? Was she indeed, |
so far deceived?
Long before s O'Clock Maudc Chesterton
had resolved TO prove or ialsify the words |
that seemed burned upon her brain.
Surely of all the world she had the best
right to test the truth of such monstrous
charge against her betrothed lover And
while she was striving 10 hide from her eyes
the torture she endured, James Rutherford !
was storming up and down MS library hold |
ing the second OF Harvey Frothingham's !
communications in his hand
In the same awkward handwriting the !
same facts were stated, the same hour and |
| place appointed 10 verify the writer's words. |
But the peppery old bachelor made no Sc
cret of his wrath. To have listened to INN |
one would have supposed that making mince. |
meat Of the dlsobedicnt nephew was the least
he intended he called him all the pet names
suggested by furious rage; he used up all
the abusive adjectlyes in the dictionary To
describe Mr.. Frederick Holman