Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-04-11
VOL. XXIV.--NO. 80.


for while, and when he's had time
to get ashamed of himself, I'll come
around little and be good, and every
thing will turn out nicely"
Kitties plan was good enough, but it
failed to work. When she got ready to
take John back into her graces, he had
gone away. and she didn't know where
The days slipped by, and Kittie hoped
he would come back or write, but her
hope was vain one. He had evidently
taken her at her word, and hence
forth they were to be strangers to each
other.
"And l was the only one to blame,"
sobbed Kittie. at was all my doings,
and loved him y
1t was drowsy summer day. The
wind was languid with warmth, and
seemed to make the day more depressing
in its influence on the brain and body
than it would have been if no breath Of
air had stirred the dropping leaves out
side the open window.
Catharine Rayne stood at her desk in
the Treasury building at Washington,
and went through her work in me-
chanical way 1t was hard to keep her
thoughts on it this sluggish afternoon,
when everything seemed ready to swoou
for want of q fresh breath of GOODNESS to
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 deposited
had left her and her mother dependent
upon their hands for the bread they
must cat and the clothes they must wear.
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 bad 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; she was thirty now. with sill
yer 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 It
had always seemed to her that they'd
meet again somewhere. Loving him as
she had done, she felt what it is to lose
and in the bitterest way loss can come to
us. Ever since they had known her in
the Trearury department she had carried
that look of patient sorrow in her eyes.
81 am sure there must be some ro-
nance in Miss Rayne's past life," de-
clared Susie Vernon. Il wish | 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
careful"
There was a sound Of voices at the
door, and one of the Treasury officers
came in with some gentlemen. Visitors
were so common that no one gave them
more than Il passing glance as they en-
tered then work went on as usual.
Catharinc 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.
"Kittie" 1t was John Fenwick' s
voice that spoke. 1t was his hand that
was outstretched in welcome.
"Havcn't you word Of welcome for
a fellow?" ho said, looking down into
her face questioningly.
II am glad to sec you. john" she
said, and then burst into sudden ft of
weeping.
81 have not forgotten you in all these
years." he said gravely. "Do you care
for me, Kittie p
IL never cared for any one else, !" she
said. 81 was wicked saw it all af-
terwards."
See here" he said gently, ana sho
looked up and saw the ring she had CIV
en- him long years ago. "Will you wear
it again, Kittic? | have had lonely
life If you would only wear it,"
She held out her hand He slipped
the yellow circlet on her finger, and then
and there before many wondering eyes
he kissed her The WEAKNESS seemed
to have suddenly gone out Of her faco
and life.
And Susie Vernon knew that there
had been a romance in Miss Rayne's life,
and that this was the best and bappiest
part Of it.