The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-10

faith in her lovers Innocence.
The weary winter passed, and Kate's
health failed, In her pain and humilla-
tion. All Barton knew Of her engage
ment, but no one knew the cause of her
lovers desertion, so that there was the
bitterness of appearing to be Tilted In
addition to the burden of knowing the
truth.
was shocked when returned to
Barton to see the shadow of my bright,
beautiful cousin in the pale, languid
girl who greeted me with sisterly afiec-
ton. consulted our old doctor pri-
vately, and he strongly advised "change
of scene"
"She is fretting here" said he, ''and
everything reminds her of her faithless
lover. If she went away for year, she
would come back herself again."
Armed with this opinion l laid siege,
to Aunt Carrie, and the result was that
we went abroad, no time being set for
our return. was of age, with an
income far beyond my wants, and we
went to Europe without any definite
plans, save the one object of restoring
Kate's health. 1t was labor of love
with me to win my cousin back to
cheerfulness, and if was lover-like in
my attentions was as sincere in my
devotions.
/ believed Gerard Hopkinson to be a
forger, one who had robbed not only his
employer, but his friend; and honest
ly held the opinion that Kate's happi-
ness would be best secured If she could
forget him. With this conviction and
my own love, hold myself blameless
that tried to gain Kate's heart, even
though knew never could be first
there. left no stone unturned, and
Aunt Carrie was my faithful ally. Yet
it was two years before 1 could venture
to ask Kate to be my wife.
We were in Paris when she put her
hand in mine, saying: u..
g You know all. l will be your true,
faithful wife, since you love me in spite
of knowing that my heart was given to
Gerard" t.
She had never regained the old saucy
brightness of the past, but she had lost
her heavy sadness, and / think she
loved me as one who had helped her to
overcome her sorrow.
There was no reason to delay our
wedding, and made every preparation
to be married on the 18th of May, and
sail for home early in June. Aunt
Carrie banished me to another hotel, for
week before the ceremony, to have
Kate's undivided attention in the trous-
seott, and other details of the wedding,
for we had many friends invited, and
had resolved to have grand breakfast
after the return from church.
My pen fingers, and heart sickens, as
write what follows. On the 1lth of
May 1 received letter from my guar
dian. He wrote:
MY DEAR Boy: You will be as glad
as was to hear that Gerard Hopkinson
is an innocent man. cannot be too
thankful that never openly accused
| him of the forgery. Evans died last
week committed suicide. He has been
robbing me systematically ever since I
took him into my full confidence. The
forgery was committed to cover q loss
by speculation, but he has gone from
one venture to another, until discovery
was inevitable, and suicide seemed his
only escape. He left a full confession,
and fortunately knew where to find
Hopkinson. / wrote to him at once,
and he is now at Barton, in Evans
place, and with his salary. Need | say
he is faithful to Kate? 1 inclose his
letter to her."
There it lay, the letter that was to
destroy my whole scheme of happiness.
Only day later it would have been
powerless, for L should then have been
Kate's husband. Only one day
spent hours of torture trying to be true
to myself, true to Kate, but the tempta-
tion was too strong.
l put Gerard's letter, unopened, into
the flame of the gas-burner, and watched
it burn to ashes. Then l folded my
guardian IS letter, which had some bust
ness details I intended to copy before
destroying it. ,...,
What excuse could make for delay
ing our return to Bartonp Worn ou
already with mental excitement, 1 lef
that question open, undecided whether
to take Aunt Carrie into my confidence
in so far as to tell her of her of Gerard'i
return to Barton.
Iheard more than one comment upor
my pale face at the wedding breakfast
but everything passed off well, and Kat
was my wife! thought my happiness
must be perfect when / could call hel