Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-01-16

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take John back into her good graces,
he had gone away, and she didn't know
where. The days slipped by, and Kitty
hoped he would come back or write, but
her hope was vain one. He had evil
IDENTIFY taken her at her word, and
henceforth they were to be strangers to-
each other.
sand 1 was the only one to blame"
sobbed Kittie. alt was all my doings,
and | loved him.
1t was drowsy summer day. The
wind was languid with warmth, ard
seemed to make the day more depress-
ing in its influence on brain and body
than it would have been if no breath
of air had stirred the dropping leaves
outside the open window.
Catharine Rayne stood at her desk
in the Treasury Building in Washing
ton, and went through with her work
in mechanical way. 1t was hard to
keep her thoughts upon it this sluggish
afternoon, when every thing seemed
ready to swoon for want of a fresh
breath of GOODNESS to revive it.
A great change had come into her
| life since she gave back John Fenwick' s
ring. A sudden collapse of the bank
in which their money had been de
posted had left her and her mother de-
pendent upon their hands for the bread
they must eat and the clothes they must
wear. She had accepted the change
bravely. 1t needed some such blow to
bring out the strength of her character.
A friend in Washington had procured
her clerkship in the Treasury Depart
ment, and she had come there, bringing
her mother, who was little better than
an invalid. What she earned was
enough to keep them comfortably, and
she was thankful for that.
She had grown to be grave and
thoughtful woman. The years had
come and gone, and she was thirty now,
with silver threads beginning to show
in her brown hair, and little lines of
care about her mouth.
In all these years she had heard but
little of John Fenwick. She knew that
he was getting to be prominent man
at the West. But that was about ALL
1t had always seemed to her that they
would meet again somewhere. She
wondered when, and how. Loving him
as she had DONE she felt what it is to
lose and in the bitterest way loss can
ever come to US. Ever since they had
known her in the Treasury Depart
ment she had carried that look of pa
tient sorrow in her eyes
81 am sure there must be some ro-
nance in Miss Rayne's past life" de-
clared Susie Vernon. II wish l knew
what it was"
"She isn't looking at all well lately"
said Susie to her neighbor, this drowsy
day. "She is Overworking herself. She'll
be down completely if she isn't care
full"
There was sound of voices at the
door, and one of the Treasury officers
came in with some gentleman. Visitors
were so common that no one gave them
more than apassing glance as they en-
tered, then work went on again in its
systematic way.
Catharine did not look up. But she
became aware, by some subtle influence,
all at once, that some one was watching
her. She looked up then, and gave a
little cry that was almost sob.
''Kittiep' 1t was John Fenwick's
voice that spoke. 1t was his hand that
was outstretched in welcome
Haven't you word of welcome for
a fellowF' he said, looking down into
her face questloningly.
Il am glad to see you, John" she
said, and then burst into q sudden fit
of weeping.
Il have not forgotten in all these
years." he said, graveIy. "Do you care
for me, Kittier'
"I never cared fol any one else" she
said. II was wicked. l saw it all af-
terward."
"See here" he said, gently, and she
looked up and saw the ring she had Civ
en- him back years ago "Will you wear
itagain, KitLie? 1 have had lonely
life. If you would only wear itr'
She held up hel hand. He slipped
theyellow cirelet on her finger, and
then and there before many wondering
eyes he kissed her. The weariness
seemed to have suddenly gone out of
her face and life.
And Susie Vernon knew that there
had been romance in Miss Rayne's
life, and that this was the best and hap