The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-10-12
feared. Her nszt-door nsIghbors pre-

feared Her nextrdoor nsighbors pre-
tenled UAf- ~ 1920
Come in and read % me for an
hour OF two. nov and then. my dear"
Mis-, Clifton had said; aud when the
girl q come, she would not Let her
go. OF, when the snow was on the
ground. b doctor would call and take
her for . brisk walk; and In the even
ings they would come TO her or make
her come 10 them
Whist should I have done but for
your she said n day to Mrs. Clifton.
you have been like al own dear
mother 70 me-"
And Mrs Clifton listened. half in
pleasure. half in pain.
Perhaps" she thought 81 might
have been her mother, had not Arnold
already selected for me . daughter"
Strange this was the only subject on
which the little party had not touched.
Arnold's engagement had been for SO
long so intangible q thing. that they
had grown to dwell upon It IS little as
possible.it was like touching . sorei
50 that Ethel. with her young heart
already throwing of its burden of
grief. in . new. sweet joy-to which
'He @'0 ~ a8aAIs Va ot0RRC4 4l0CtQs
TO know that it existed-little dreamed
Of the misery in store for her.
Nor did Arnold think more than she.
He called himself a brother to the lone
ly orphaned girl. He wrote Miriam
long accounts of her-how he hoped
one day they would be friends. Yet.
when he knew that day was about to
dawn. he shrank back. and knew not
why.
The knowledge came with the an
nouncement from Miriam that she was
coming homo sooner than she had
hoped. and in the early May would pay
q visit to his mother.
In Mayi and April was half gone.
The snow had long melted, but he and
Ethel still had their frequent walks.
He had an engagement with her on
the afternoon that he received the let
ter. As they were walking along be-
meath the shadow Of the elms, he drew
1t from his pocket.
Ethel" he said. '.you have been my
friend SO long that 1 am going to be-
speak your friendship for some one
very lear to me. This letter is from
my future wife. viii you read itP"
A great wave of color surged to her
face: her very heart seemed to stop its
beating, as she stretched out one little,
icy hand to take it from him.
Silently she read 1t through. hen
folded and held it out for him t o take
again.
~ am very glad for you." she said.
in o quiet, measured tone.
Then their eyes met, and each read
down, down into the others soul.
''God help US BOTH" said the man,
and turned homeward.
.
Three weeks later, Miss Featherstone
arrived She was q tall, queenly wo-
man, of somewhat majestic stature,
and a charm of manner which attract
ed all who came within its scope.
mo wonder that he loved her,"
thought Ethel. as they met; "and-
and-if his heart did turn to me for a
little minute. she soon will win 1t back
again."
But the human heart Is Q strange
anomaly. aud in these days Miriam
watched her lover with strange pene-
tration.
His letters had been filed with Ethel.
he now rarely mentioned her name,
and the hours when the two girls were
together he abscnted himself as much
as he could.
Yet, with almost feverish eagerness,
he urged upon Miriam. as her stay was
drawing to an end, 10 consent to their
speedy marriage.
She listened in silence, then looked
up into the pale, excited face, with .
:Don't 81 loolish. Arnold" she
taid. II have wanted to tell you. dear.
tver since I came down. that I thought
It very foolish in US both to cling to q;
Ientiment time has worn out. You see
have been away SO much, so long
separated from you," there was a little
ihoke in her voice here, but his dull
rar did not notice it, shat I don't feel
quito the same; and-and-I think I've
guessed your secret, too, Arnold. and
10 it makes the telling easier"
A great light came into his face, but
she turned her head away as though it
hurt her, and for n instant a heavy
anguish crept into her brave eyes.
You have guessed my secret" he
repeated. after her. you no longer
love me-"
"If 1 loved. could I give you up. do
you thinkP" she answered. mo, no.
Arnold! I'll go back to the old blind
father who needs me; but now and
hen. when / need q little rest. you
and Ethel will let me como to you, will
you notP"
God bless your he said, and raising
her hand he pressed his lips with fer
vent passion upon it.
She smiled. It was the first time his
lips had touched her with such fire.
Don't say anything till I am gone
rhc whispered. at may seem strange
10 her!"
And, man like, he never guessed
that a deeper reason lay beneath-nev-
RI guessed that her own wound was as
vet too deep to see her rival win the
happiness she had lost-never guessed
that, as a week later. she babe him her
calm 'Good-bye" her pillow the night
before had been deluged with her
.calding tears, and her soul cried out
in rebellious misery against the life
long loneliness to which she had de-
creed it.
But Ethel. with her keener woman
vision. as she offered up to heaven her
Thanksgiving for the wonderful Joy which
had so strangely come to her, did not
forget to pray for the noble heart who
had sown in tears what she had reaped
in glorious happiness.
The Great Wall of China