The Red Cloud chief., 1877-10-11

and although the doctor had said that
morning that he was doing finely, when
the nurse came in in he was in a faint
ing tit. But recovery had set in, and he
soon began to rally again, and day after
day grew stronger. All the reserve
force of pride in his nature came to hi S
aid, even as it came to Cecil.
u will not seek an explanation" he
thought. "She has ceased to love me,
that is certain, and the cause can be Of
no consequence to me. Perhaps she
has grown angry at my long silence.
Why did she not say 50? / would write
and explain that / have been sick, but
the tone Of her note fOrbids me. / will
be as proud as she; aye prouder.
why, Cecil, | never knew until to-
day that Mr.. Wellington had been at
deaths door" said one of her callers TO
Cecil, d few weeks afterward. II should
have thought you would have men
toned it."
q didn't know it. How did you
hear and Cecil's Ii S grew white as
she remembered the returned letter.
Bert was al the commercial house
where he is employed, and heard them
speak of Mr.. WellingtOn's being sick.
He inquired and found that ii was Mr..
Howard Wellington, of Philadelphia;
50 OF cOu- Sc it's your friend. They
Thought him dying for weeks; some
sort Of fever, i believe. The doctors
said they never knew any one to be SO
low and Yet recover
Cecl1s face was as white as marble,
but she managed to control herself.
HE Is better now 2" she asked,
~ IS, recovering slowly" said Miss
West, noticing her agitation. And then
she told The hex lady she called Oh
that she believed all Was not exactly
smooth between Cecil Suthe. land and
Mr.. Wellington.
As sOo as Cecil was alone she dipped
her pen III the ink, ard with trembling
fingers wrote
DEAR HoWAED:-l never knew you
had been SICK until to-day. Forgive Inc
for sending back your letter unopened.
thought you had sighted me. | Was
desperate. ! had written you three let
ters asking you why | did not hear from
you. suppose now, you were too sick
10 know anything about them. When
yours came at last, | had lost my faith
u you, and pride would not permit Inc
20 open 1t. l would gladly undo the
deed now, If ! could. Please write and
tell HE how you are, and let me know
that you accept my apology. / Shall be
al Impotence for your nswer
CECIL"
"He may send il back unopened" she
thought. 1T would SCI We me right if he
| did"
But day after day passed and it did
not come back, neither did an answer
reward her waiting.
"He is too proud to forgive me. /
might have known more than to have
asked il. must try to forget him.
| Heaven help me, for ii is not so easy as
| thought"
So when Sylvester Hammond, who
had loved her long but hopelessly, asked
her again 10 marry him, she consented.
The word must never know what !
carry in my heart. Mr.. Hammond is
noble and true; why should i not mar
~ him and hide my disappointment :
| can never love him, but / can respect
him." Accordingly she ~acquiesced in
his wishes for a speedy marriage, say
ing
i should like it better; | do not be,
lieve in long engagements"
Several weeks had passed since Cecil
sent the explanatory letter to Howard,
and he was now his Old-time self again,
He had crushed out his love for Cecil,
that had been interviewer with his na-
;ure. bv the Overmastering will that
characterized him. He could not for,
ret her intirely. but he thought her
heartless, and schoOled himself accord.
ingly.
O-e dav. while hurriedly tossing
over some articles on his bureau, he up
SET a bottle of ink that he had left there
carelessly; the stopper flew out, and a
stream OF the dark fluid ran down be.
hind the bureau. He hastily pulled ii
mi from the wall to ascertain the
amount of mischief. but nearly forgot
lhe accident as he found lying there
close against the wall an unopened let
.er with his name on the back. He
opened il hastily. 1t was Cecirs note
If exclamation. He was puzzled. lie
ooked AT the date and then read It.
"Good Heavens he exclaimed. SHE
wrote this in explanation, and never
received it. Wrote three times. +! hev
r SAW the letters. / wonder VII, be
came Of them? This letter slipped be
mind the bureau by some mySterlou:
fate I'll see if Jane knows anything
ahout il. or about the others"
He went in search of the girl, wh(
hammered to he in a room near by.
Q the mischief l have been in III
said. showing her the ink. Cant yol
make it all right again: I'm sorry II
1--WE Won so much trouble" and he slip
- 40 hnr bond