The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-04-12

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ment. But, after q few weeks OF
l smooth sailing, he ceased to hear
from her. His last letter remained
unanswered, and be became almost
desperate with uneasy doubts. He
would have written again asking sn
explanation Of her silence, but pride,
OF which he had full share, some
how held him back. .
While in this state OF mind, be one
morning took up the daily paper, and
read this item:
"Mr. Gordon Leyerztt has quite un-
expectedly come into possession OF 3
handsome fortune which has deseend-
ed TO him through bis English rels-
/ tives."
Cold drops started on his forehead.
Could tiIis be the reason OF her si-
lenee Her jestiug words came TO
him. "If l marry any one l don't
love, he must be able to give me jew
els and gold 10 atone for the sscri-
fice.n
was this temptation within her
reach, and, il so, was she strong
enough to resist il ? de could not
endure the suspense longer. He dash
ed off q letter, telling her he had not
heard from her for what seemed an
eternity. He added this paragraph :
81 have just read an announcement
tof the good fortune OF your host.
Has that circumstance anything to do
with your neglect Of fme?'
Meanwhile Gordon had been sp-
| prised OF hrs unexpected good fortune
by lawyers letter. He read it over
two or three times before he could
make himself believe that he was not
dreaming, or that il was not for some
other person of the same name. Then
he carried it into the nom where his
sister and Bertha usually spent their
evenings, and gave It to the former.
Sue read it to herself, with quickly
changing color.
"Let Bertha hear Il, !" said her broth
er, and she read It aloud.
"Why, Gordon Can 1t be possible
that we are so wealthy ?" she ex-
claimed, getting up and taking hold
of his arm. al can not believe It :
And yet it must be so. Oh, Bertha,
| wish you were my sister, so thai you
could share it with us 90
She spoke impulsiveIy, BUT, looking
! from one to the other, saw by their
cOuntenanees that she had caused
some confusion.
"Let mo see the letter." said Bertha,
reaching out her hand with the free
dom Of long tried friend.
She was anxious to cover up the
awkward pause that had been made
by Carries exclamation. She glanced
over it rapidly.
"It's here in black and white, no
mistake !" she said, gaily, as she ran
her eyes over the contents. "I'm
really glad for you both Such good
luck doesn't come every day"
Aud then there was a great deal of
laughter, and talking and planning all
sorts of practicable and impraeticable
things, and in sIl the plans Carrie
seemed to facility include Bertha.
Later in the day, he had q chance
TO see Bertha alone. She was sitting
under tall, grand old tree, in the
grounds OF the quiet, hOmellke, old
fashioned place, with q book in her
hand. He threw himself on the grass
beside her. The summer sunlight
made delicate trscery on the space
around them, and threw many shsd-
ows on her cheek and neck. He
plunged into the subject.
81 do not wish to be preclpItate, but
have loved you so long that 1 must
speak I do not want to buy your
lOve-but-I can speak better now
than before, when had less to offer
you. Don't you love me a little,
Bertha? You have been so cold and
disdainful, at times, that l hardly
dare to hope that you care for me.
Be that as 1t may, my heart is in your
keeping-my fortune at your feet"
There was temptation! A gentle
man of irreproschable character, edu.
cation, and handsome withal, offer
ing her more brilliant worldly pros
poets than she had ever dreamed
would be hers She had a keen love
for the beautiful things that wealth
prOcures the mans eloquent eyes
were turned full upon her, and she
had always dreamed Of luxury. Just
for q moment, the brilliant prospect
shut out the noble, high bred face of
Harry Chester from her conscious
ness-but only for a moment. Then
her heart went back to him, and sent
full tide of love sweeping through
her being, and she knew that her love
was stronger than her Ambition.
He waited impatiently Tor the an-
swer. IL came, low and firm.
"I am sorry, Mr.. Leverett, that you
should have asked me this, when 1
have no heart to give you. l never
thought our acquaintance would
terminate in anything but friendship.
Since I saw you last I have learned
what it is to love-"
The eager look went out of his face.
A twilight shadow seemed to fall upon
it, though the afternoon sun was
shining brilliantly. Then he bright
ensd little, and said. inquiringly
"Y0ur love is not a hopeless one I?
1t is returned ?"
The old spirit flashed into her
eyes.
"YOu must know that 1 never give
my love unsought," she said proudly.
"When say that 1 love, it presup.
poses that sm loved"
He smiled somewhat sadly. She
saw in q moment the motive for the
inquiry. He had thought thefe was a
possibility that she might yet be won.
She felt ashamed of her mOmentary
resentment in the presence of the man
who loved her, but to whom she had
no heart to give.
81 can say no more" he said. "I
can not urge you. 1 want your love
freely-or not at all. hope you will
be happy-ss should try to make
you"
He left her sitting where he found
her, and walked away to crush down
his disappointment manfuIly. In q
few moments after, Harry's letter was
handed to her.
"Hasn't heard from me for so long (?
What can it mean? Surely Carl
mailed the letters Carrie said he
was trusty. Dear HarryI And so he
is getting uneasy about me, and he
has read of Gordon's fortune in the
paper. II he knew what I have Just
refused, because love him, he would
cease doubling me-"
Thus she soIiloQuized over the let
ter. But the propensity for teasing
was strong within her. With femi-
uine contradiction, she could infiict
wounds on those she lOved-when she
knew with certainty that it lay in her
power to heal them by the magic OF
her presence, the magnetism Of her
touch.
She wrote an answer at once, but in
an uncertain manner, so that he
hardly knew how to take it. Sne as
sured him that she had really writ
ten, and could not account Tor the
nonappearsnce OF the letter. One
paragraph ran thus
"Yes, Mr.. Geverett has had IN i'm
mense fortune left him. Not two
hours ago, he offered to lay It all at
my feet il 1 would be his wife. What
do you suppose my answer was ?"
1t was rather cool to write this to q
man in his peculiar mood, but Bertha
did not realize it. She intended to
follow it up with her presence, in two
days, at the outside, and make it all
right with him. She felt like cutting
short the visit, after the talk with
Gordon, but Carrie would not listen to
It. When she knew the state Of af-
fairs, she said
81 hope-to have you for my sister,
through love for Gordon ; but if your
heart has gone out to another, let the
subject drop. You know how we ad-
vocated marrying for love alone in
our schooIdays It seems We advocate
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