Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-02-23
DENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, FEBRUAR %. 1877.

"Dear Mise Hope" he began, after
the first greetings had been exchang-
ed, Il grieve to be the bearer Of very
unpleasant intelligence. iephis544 sd
Kate looked up with great indiffer-
ence, scarcely believing that, after
all she had gone through, any news,
good or bad, could have for here
more tha.. the most passing interest.
Slythrope con :inued: a be
~ am sure you will believe did
it for the best; hut misfortunes will
happen, you know, even with care
and caution. / am sure thought
the investment as safe as the bank;
but there's no trusting anything now
adays." ..f.
s.What is the misfortune, Mr.. Sly.
thorpe, for you have not told me?-
Nothing very serious I hope"
"Only too serious, my dear Ka-"
he tried to say Kate, but couldn't
get it out, and substituted Miss Hope
"nothing less, ! fear, than the loss
of the whole OF your little fortune" "
Kate turned pale, but gave no
other sign Of emotion. "How did it
happen?" she said with an effort.
"Your money was, as you know, in
the 8 per cents, where i: produced a
miserable l6O pounds year. In the
hope of doing better for you, l sold
out and invested in new mining
company, the Wheal Marina. which
promised to pay minimum dividend
of ten per cent, and so would have
just trebled your income. And this
morning l am grieved to find from
the Times that the company is an
utter smash. The directors have
bolted, and the shareholders will
lose every penny of their money"
SIS all gone? Nothing left?"
"Not a sixpense, and you remain
liable for calls to the amount OF
about as much more"
Poor Kate's fortitude quite gave
way.
"Oh dear, what shall l do? I
haven't n friend in the world
"No, no, don't say that Kate" said
Slythrope, in a gentle, patronizing
manner; sit isn't an bad as that
comes to. I haven't disguised my
own feelings towards you,an though
you have lost yourmoney,you know it
needn't make any difference between
you and me. Ny affection is not
of the mercenary sort; in fact, as I
got into the mess, Though with the
best of intentions, mind you) it's
only fair that l should get out Of il" +"
Kate had hidden her face in her
hands, but she became aware from
the increased intensity OF the all.pre.
vading scented soap aroma that Sly
thrope was drawing nearer to her,
and in another moment, his arm was
around her waist. She drew herself
up proudly.
"Sir, l am willing to believe you
mean kindly, but your offer under
good enough to leave me-"
1t was two days after this scene
that Kate Hope, with the Times be-
fore her, was answering advertise
ments for goyerness. She had
Just answered three advertisements,
and had folded and sealed her letters
and now, with her desk before her,
was counting her little store OF ready
money, and counting how long she
could at any rate subsist before she
found employment. In replacing
her purse, her hands fell on por.
trait, which she took out and gazed
at fondly. "Dear old Geoffrey, if he
had lived how different my future
would be! l suppose I ought to say,
Gods will be done, but, 0, it's very
very hard" A few moments she
continued gazing through her tears
at the portrait, when a sharp knock
at the outer door startled her, and
she replaced 1t in the desk. She
heard Mrs. Carlyle in conversation
with some one, and then quick,
we'll remembered voice said,
"Where? This room!" And in an
another moment the door was flung
open, and Kate was sobbing in her
lovers arms.
Geoffrey Howard had been dan
gerously wounded, and had been a
prisoner for the greater part Of a
year in an Indian dungeon, where
for many weeks his life hung OH a
thread, by reason of an attack of ma
lignant fever. He had landed in
England but twelve hours previous,
and had lost not moment in geek
ing the presence of his darling and
her father, for he was, of course, ig-
norant of Bernard Hopes DEATH
Kate, too, had much to tell, and
nesting by Geotfrey's side, her lit
tie white fingers hidden in the rug
ged brown hands Of her lover, which
held them as though they would
never again let them 60, she told
him all she had gone through-the
loss of her father, the history of the
will, and, lastly, the loss of her little
fortune.
81 can't understand it," said he
"Ths mau has been playing some
very deep game"
perhaps he really wished to get
me more-what do you call it?-in-
terest for MY money. l dare say it
was meant kindly enough, though it
happens so unfortunately"
Il d mt believe it, darling. If all
had gone well, you would simply
have received Your 8 per cent, and
Mr.. Slythrope would have pocketed
the difference"
"Oh, Geoffrey! Geoffrey! l am
afraid you have come home very un-
charitable. Besides, what does it
matter about a lot Of stupid money,
now Ive got you back again? Un.
less indeed, you would have liked
me better for having the money"