Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-26

DIR. Richardson's good opinion over
again-for once he had good opinion
of me-" She looked up at him side
wise and laughed She was wonder
fully pretty this afternoon-all sparkle
and glow.
There was an instant's, but only an
instant's, odd constraint in DR.. Rich
ardson's manner; then he said, quite
gravely: You have not forfeited my
good opinion, Miss Huntingdon"
"The truth is, DR.. Richardson" said
Miss Huntington, her face all lighted
with saucy, inward laughter" the
truth is, you owe me debt of graft
tude deeper than you can ever repay.
Tell me now, frankly, if it were not for
me would you be at this moment the
happy man you are ?"
Frankly, would not"
DR.. Richardson was very serious.
Even Miss Huntington seemed to veil
some feeling under her gay manner. I
was troubled.
"Why do you talk in riddles?" I
asked. Do you not both know that I
have no talent for guessing!"
cat least you shall not cultivate it
just now, DEAR" said Miss Huntingdon.
Or. Richardson will tell you when l
am gone. I must go to your aunt. 1t
does her good to scold me-" She turned
away and moved a step or two, and
then looked back with changed face.
"Agnes," she said wistfully, "would
you mind kissing me?"
Mind kissing you? What a ques-
ton! But you are not going away ina
mediately?"
'Oh, l don't know. Perhaps had
better bid You goodbye now. She kiss
ed me twice. Goodbye :" she said.
Absolutely the spark in her eyes was
quenched in dew! agnes" she said,
with an odd sort of half laughing
seriousness, eff you should ever come
to think that Ananias was a moral
character in comparison with myself, it
would be impossible for you to love me
any more, would it not? But let me
assure you, my dear, that some stories
are told with the best possible inten-
tiOns."
Then she left us.
what can she mean, dear?" I
asked, turning in wonder to DR.. Rich
ardson. aoah
He led me to the chair I had Quilted.
and placing me there again, stood before
me-.
agnes, she means me to confess to
you something that you need never
have known. And yet, perhaps, it is
better that you should. She means that
l once loved her.
He went on talking for a few minutes,
but I do not know what he said. NV
hands were cold, and the objects before
my eyes were blurred. She had de-
ceived me. 1t was to her and to him I
had listened that evening so long. He
had loved her. |, who heard him de-
clare it, knew the depth of sincerity in
the voice that told her SO. He had
sought my love as a solaca for the
wound that she had inflicted? Friend
and lover-were both to fail mel
" Have you nothing to say, Agnes !?
Why do you not answer me?"
: Wait for me one moment" [ re-
piled, hearing my voice, but hardly
recognizing it. 81 will answer YOU
VIII en- | return"
[ left him abruptly, going slowly up
stairs, my heart feeling broken. | cot
the ring, and came down again. not
trembling at all, quite quiet, with that
dreadful calm which accepts despair.
In the blind jealousy of the moment it
seemed impossible that he could really
love me, having once loved her.
1t is usual, believe" I said, with
some sort of a smile, "to break an en-
gagement by returning ring. Would
you like that ours should be broken SC?
This is your ring, is it not?"
What do you mean, Agnes Where
did you get this ring?" cried DR.. Rich
ardson, in great surprise.
was In the alcove there the night
that Miss Huntingdon threw it away.
| found it in the garden next morning.
[ heard all that you both said. She has
deceived me. She said, when I asked
her, that this ring was never hers. And
you nave deceived me; you told me
that you loved me-"
In another moment the sob in nv
voice would have given place to miser-
able childish tears But DR.. Richard
son folded me in his arms and kissed
me, laughing. That comforted me
more than any words would have done.
8 Poor trusting little one! I" he cried
/" The whole world is in conspiracy
against you, is it not? I shall play nv
role to the end, however, and say that
[ love you forever. And cannot YOU
forgive Miss Huntingdon? Is not she
right when she says that owe nv hap
piness to her? And she may have told
the story that grieves you for the pur
pose of making us happy. Cannot you
forgive her?
Yes. When he had talked to me an
hour or two, particularly when he had
treasured me as to the grounds upon
which held his love, [ freely forgave
her. Sitting there in the delicious twi-
light, with that dear voice sounding so
lovingly in my ears, whom and what
could | not have forgiven?
And then, in the dusk, heard her
light footstep on the stair, and the
rustic of her dress.
Come in, dear Miss Huntingdon" 1
cried, !" and let nee kiss you once more.
have your ring on my finger, and love
you more than ever did in nv life."
And we have been friends all our
days until now.