Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-02-13
that. Now must leave you; ut you shall

that. Now | must leave you; b ut you shall
hear from me later. ~
Mechanically she placed her cold hand
in his warm clasp; then, in a du II, hopeless
sort of way, realized that she wi IS alone
alone, henceforth and forever; for, though
Harold Crosby had in no set fornlof ,ords
cast her off, she knew that the l,onds be-
tween them were severed. M
That same evening the note she expec-
ted from Mr., Crosby, reached her:
Il am calmer now, Kate, tina n when |
left you, a few hours ago. am able once
| more to forget myself, and thing only OF
| your happiness, which is the one thing
nearest my heart You have 3ver loved
me, dear; therefore, 1t is only who will
suffer at our separation. and | am a man
| and strong. You will hear fro q Mr.. May
Vile of his improved prospects. l can only
add my prayer that every good thing IN
| life may fall to your share, who so rlchly
! deserve them ALL"
! She read and re-read the lines. What
did he mean? He seemed to write as
though some future good were assured her.
What, then, made her heart so sad? iga4
Part of the mystery was cleared when.
the next morning, Fred was admitted to
her presence. and, in tones half of shame,
half of triumph. told her of the wonderful
coed fortune that had just befallen him.
| Mr.. Crosby had sent for him the proceed
ing afternoon, to ask him to become the
legal adviser of their immense business
connections connection which would
guarantee him an income of from six to
eight thousand year. el5
she told me frankly he added, shat
he was induced to do this through interest
for you, and that he hoped it would clear
the way to our future happiness. He is a
prince, Kate. almost wonder you could
keep a corner in your heart for me-
Then he went on in his eager prctesta-
tioEs of love and his hopes for the future.
The girl listened calmly, quietly, as if
carved in stone. Ill
| He accepted all, giving no thought to
the man who had resigned all, never
dreaming, but that she, too, was ready to
receive the sacrifice.
She looked into his face. 1t was hand
some as OF old, but its beauty no longer
absorbed her vision. His voice had lost
none of it's music, but it no longer thrilled
her senses. She had lived dreamlife of
her imagination. The reality stood before
her. and her dream fled. Amazed, mere
dulous, Fred Mayville refused to believe
that she 20 longer loved him. He first
pleaded, then reproached.
Il 81 seemed destined to make every one
~ unhappy she murmured; "but can't do
it, Fred-I can't indeed I cannot marry
), you'll no longer love you.''
il s'Kather say" he retorted, stung to re.
elimination, on seeing the prize once his
own slipping from his grasp say
you have learned worldly wisdom, and you
prefer richer lover" 44
A great scorn gathered in her eyes
r This was the man for whom she would
have once counted the world we'll lost; an6
she, in her former blind idolatry, had fail
s ed to see that he, too, had a god. the go6
: of self 80 -. a.. j
.Let us part friends, Fred, she said, a
last. s'You will know some day how vol
! have wronged me-"
! But he, refusing to see the little Whit
hand outheld to him, bowed coldly ant
withdrew. W
The days that followed were very dreary
; The long future stretched YEARLY before
her, but each day revealed to her the Sc
cret of her own heart.
With her own hand she had cast ava,
her life's happiness. So she thought, al
she sat alone, one afternoon in the earl'
. spring, when the servant, throwing opel
the door of the library, announced a yisi
tor. NeA5Ma tst.
: She glanced up to see Harold Crosby
He came forward with the easy, familia
q air of a friend STRIVING to disslpate he
embarrassment
q 81 am going away, Miss Kate" he salt
J. in voice that strove to be cheerful. 9
meant to write my adieus, but concluded
u to see you instead. wanted to tell you
e you must not reproach yourself for tn
3, past. had no right I'd expect to WIN tn
t love of such a woman, but feared. as yol
l did not consummate your happiness,
J. might have been because :"
l 'You did not Know she interrupted
ssthat my engagement with Mr.. Mayyil
u never was renewed ?" sf4 i.
q 'sMay [ ask you why 7" 90
n "heoause,n her voice faltered, ''I ha
y ceased to love him. Another, better, VOL
thier man had taken the place he one
- held in my heart. ,5...-l .,s.g .,si
g "Tell me no more,'' he said hoarsely
IT II wish him and you all joy. I though
lie myself stronger than I am. What matter
1t. SO must give you up, who wins tn
e. prize! Good by % Y.s4 aSs
II ell can't let you go like this" sh
i, faltered. why won't you understand ?
"What am to understand, Kate ~ b
a questioned, gravely. 3an isasa..sa at
"a She had raised to her feet now, the colo
flushing to her lovely cheek, her eyes bic
1t den by the long, sweeping lashes. ..
NJ F'Qnly, Harold, that / was never worth
is of you, but that if you go away if 20
cast me off second time. it willIbreak m
e, heart, for / love you, and you aloneP'
"My wifeP' he whispered, opening wid
e his arms, my very, very own!''
IS But Kate heard no more. She was sol
bling out her happiness upon his heart. !.
&c - .sx~ss.s 80 s.,-=--- 50.
a. SOME THINGS TO DIsBELIEvE.~-Wh
man advertises for a partner, and wan
young man to put in small inyestmel
IL of hundred or five hundred dollars an
promises him realization of fifty or OF