Iron County register., 1880-06-24
THE STOLEN LOVE.LETTERS.

THE STOLEN LOVE.LETTERS.
In the uncertain Pickering fre-ligh
pretty Maggie Leslie sat pulling rost
to pieces. Her sister Kate watched hel
a few moments impatiently and ther
said: $. What are you doing, Maggie
Tired of your new lover, eh?'
"What nonsense! / am not tired Of
my new lover, but am angry at my ole
one''
Every likely. When girl has dis
carded country clergyman with f3O(
q year for baronet with f3O, 900, it is
likely she will be angry at the poor
lover troubling her memory"
$ I should dismiss the country clergy
man very readily from my memory, il
he permitted me. I never thought
Archie Fleming could have been SO
mean;' and Maggie threw the poor
tattered remnant of a rose passionately
away from her.
81 do not believe Cousin Archie
Fleming could do mean thing, Maggie.
You must be mistaken" 5u
81 wish was. Come closer, Kate,
and will tell you all about it;'' and
the two young girls seated themselves
on a low ottoman in a confidential atti-
tude
IS Now, Maggie, when and what?"
s'The when was two evenings ago.
Sir John and were coming across the
moor, just as happy as-as anything,
and thought Archie was in London,
when we met him suddenly as we turned
into the Hawthorn Path. And what do
you think? They rushed into each
others arms like-like two Frenchmen.
do believe they kissed each other. 1t
was john and Archie,' and hand
shaking, and How are you, old fellow?'
and that kind of thing, until was quite
disgusted. Men going on in that way
are SO ridiculous!
"By-and-by Sir John remembered
me and supposed Archie knew his
fair parishioner Miss Leslie and Archie
bowed in the most distant manner and
said he had the honor of being my poor
cousin Men never can keep anything
and before we had walked quarter of
q mile Sir John had contrived to let
Archie know how matters stood be-
tween u.s.
That was not very pleasant, but of
course you were off with the old love
before YOU were on with the new"
Not exactly. had stopped writing
to Archie, and if he had an ounce of
sense he might have guessed the rea-
son.
Kate shook her head and looked grave.
Nov, Kate, don't be aggravating.
The case is just this. Sir John and
Archie, it seems, are old school friends,
and Archie has all sorts of romantic
notions about fidelity to his friend and
threatens to tell Sir John how badly
have treated him."
% Then you have seen ArchieP"
Yes. sent Davie Baird to tell him
to meet me in the conservatory last
:. How imprudentr'
"I had to do it. I wanted to coax
Archie to let me off easily and to give
me back all my letters. must have the
letters, Kitty. I really must"
WeuP"
Well, he said some very disagreea-
BILE things-truths he called them-and
: ] cried and looked just as pretty as 1
could. He insisted I was in love with
Sir Johns title and money and not with
himself; and when said that was not
true, and that I loved Sir John very
dearly, he got quite in a temper. 1t is
my belief that he would rather mar
ried fol money than love if / don't mar
ry him. That's the selfshness of men,
Kitty. / wouldn't be as mean for any
thing. And oh, Kitty. he said he would
not give me back my letters and l
mast haze ue,sa.''
"Ishould not worry about few love-
letters
:. Kitty, you don't know all, or you
would not say that" .
Tell me ALL then"
II have sent Sir John just-the-
same-letters, word for word. You
know never was good at composition
and when Clara Joyce was here, got
her to write me some beautiful love let
ters. She liked doing it, and l thought
/ might need them. l copied them for
Archie and they were SO clever copied
them also for Sir John. Now, Kitty, If
Archie should show those letters, as he
said he would, how both of them would
laugh at me! I could not bear it,
Kate looked very much troubled. |
/" Indeed, Maggie. you are right," she
. You must have your let |
ters; and if Archie will not give you
them they must be stolen from him;
that is all about it. It would never do |
to let him hold such power over your |
poor little head and it would be worse |
after you. were married than before it.
You are sure that he viii not give them
upe''
:. He said he never would give them
to me-"
perhaps he has burned them"
80 no, he could never bear to do
that. Why, he idolizes them, Kitty.
Just. before he went away he told me
That they were laid in rose leaves in the
drawers of his Indian cabinet."
Very good. Grandfather sent that
cabinet to the parsonage. l dare say it
is exactly like the one in his room. II
20, it is likely grandfather key wiz
open the minister's"