The Red Cloud chief., 1879-04-03
a,v. and thu. rerr morning Mr.. Selwyn

many years tor me I'd see 10 inc tolnii
E ment Of your fathers last wish. Ill
, was my best and dearest friend. and hi
!, life was q sad ore. A. least his dyin.
will must be done. But I promise yo'
~happiness-l do, indeed"
, But beyond tha; day Madge was una
, BILE to bear her hearts burden. 81 mus
tell him every thing" she thought. Ii
the afternoon twilight, some time ate
Mr. Selwyn had returned home. 81
found him asleep in hi. armchair IN IT,
dark dining-room. But little day Ugh
came in between the red curtains, ant
il was only the glow Of the fire tina
showed her his white hair aud Ions
beard. She kpelt beside bin, IS sb'
often did for a talk whoa he wa in thu
chair, and she woke him By stealing
her hand into his.
"Who is it-Gerty? No, Msdge-
my little Madge that is to be so patri
archal Tomorrow"
Papa Selwyn," she began, not Civ
ing him time TO joke any more lest she
might not be able TO disclose all hel
troubles, al want 10 tell you something
and you won't be angry, will you, nc
matter what it is?"
He took her face between his hands,
and the fire flashed up and showed him
how earnest it was.
slam quite sure" he said, "nothing
can make me any thing but as deeply IL
love with my ssrond daughter as a poor
old fellow like me can be. Why, child,
l am under a cloud all day because to-
morrow-as soon IS to-mOrrow-l can
be Papa Selwyn no more, and Madge
will be thinking about nobody but her
cousin"
mo, indeed" cried Madge impetu-
ously, "you will be Papa Selwyn al
ways always; and I don't care for my
cousin 4 Bit"
But her guardian shook his head
gravely.
"My dear, you will marry your
cousin"
The freight had died down low, and
Madge had courage enough TO blurt out
with an effort the few words:
81 can't marry Jack, because l ought
to love my husband, and ] can never
care enough for him. Or, If | must be
engaged to him to-morrow"-here there
was a great sob-"Mr. Fi,zallan is very
good and kind, and don't want to hurt
him-but-but-he must go away"
Her head sank upon his knees with
the great effort of tina, request.
"My poor child" he said, 81 know
your secret. Bravely said! my little
Madge, my bonny girl! You have had
the truth out and done nobly. You are
worthy of the man that is to have you,
and that is saying 2 good deal" Then
raising her head gently. be babe her
listen, for he was going to tell a secret
in return for hers. When she heard it
she waited with wide, wondering eyes
while he told it a second time, for she
could not believe in her joy. "As you
know, Madge," he began, "most peo-
pie in this world have more cousins
than One." And then be went on to
explain to her tina. Herbert Fitzauan was
a very distant cousin and that it was
to him her father wished her to be mar
ried. Fitzallen's father had been the
companion of his labors and Herbert
himself had been loved by the dying
man as a son, for Herbert was 20 when
little Madge was an orphaned baby Of
four. "You ask what about Jack,
then?" said the old man. "That was
my clever trick upon Madge. never
said you were to marry Jack. l told
you of your fathers wish. l brought
Jack here, the only cousin you knew;
and | praised bis good qualities-which
are fine enough, l can tell you, and ap-
preciated by a young lady not far from
here. / knew that wayward heart of
q 49, t,,at, I,S An 49, nIa,,lI
not marry without real love, and a great
store of it, too. So l left my darling
open to the idea that Jack was to be the
lucky fellow; and she did just what l
and all sensible folks eXpected-almost
hated Jack and her doom. Then / took
car that the nan you were meant for
who, my dear, has the best and truest
heart in the world-should come in the
way just at the right time and show IN
interest in you. So have l not succeed
ed and made my Madge choose her
fathers choice with her wi free heart
and will? As for F~itzallan, he is all
Impotence for to morrow, and he would
have told you the secret at that ball the
other night, but he had promised mt
never to disclose it till we were quite
sure of success. Well, are you happy
now, Madge?"
"My dear, good second father! How
can l love you enOugh?" was all she
could say when she felt his arms round
her in that moment of fulfilled desires,
and his lips pressed to her forehead in
fatherly affection.now that his long solic-
itude wa5 at an end and his hard task
we'll done.
That very night Madge, scarcely able
to realize her joy, was betrothed to Her.
bert Fitzallan, whe, when once the
secret was disclosed, would not wait
another hour.
"HayeI not waited years?" he said.
"All my time abroad l was waiting,
and then l came back and l found my
Madge more than ever l had dared to
hope"
But Madge in her new freedom did
not forget poor Jack. Indeed she was
almost in trouble about her u~nkindneSs
to him when she heard that he had been
only playing a part, bearing all her
teasing, and being purposely ~ungracious
whenever she grew kind. But Gertrude
consoled her effectuslly on that score by
telling another secret after her kiss of
congratulation.
"Jack was indeed doing his best to
carry out the plan," she said; sand he
was often grieved about you; but, dear
Madge, you must congratulate us now
not me, but US. Jack and l made it up
between US months ago, and we had
many aquiet laugh about you"
So Madge herself accepted the ring
and wore her golden letters by her own
free will after all; nor was there ever a
happier or more willing captive. As
for Fitzallau, if he was not another Ar
thur, as the girls fancy had prompted
her to call him, he was Sc blameless', as