The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-09-16

~ Pr - TX gGLl W SAY lAAGWGAL
May you Be happy. dssrf' he said.
landing outside might hear the words.
9ur mistake. II Is who haYs been the
iool-it is who must bear the punish
Then lining the little fingers be held
10 his lips. he pressed upon them ono
through the doorway by which Cyril
ilRrcourt had entered In.
The latter's face was very pale. and
lad upon It an expression Of after be-
Ethel came forward TO meet him, lay
ing her fair head upon his breast win
something like . sob. He threw his
arm lovingly, protectingly about her.
"What Is it, little onee" he asked.
"What was that man saying a I came
'Nothing-nothingr' she answered.
hurriedly. Don't let us talk Of him.
; And without giving him time to re-
ply, she ratified on. with forced light
ness, on other things. A question rose
to Cyrips lips. but he checked it. I'm
consciously, the conversation in the
club. that morning. REQUIRED to him.
Let Ethel speak or keep silent-not
thus easily might his perfect confidence
in her be sullied. Yet even the resolu-
ton breathed the first breath upon the
mirror.
A month passed. and Hubert Daryrs
name had never been mentioned be-
tween them; yet twice Cyril had seen
his card upon Ethel's table. and twice
other men had met and seen him there.
1t seemed to him that he avoided the
house when his visits might be timed.
One night. after biddings Ethel good
night. he sauniered into his club, taking
a table at its furthest end, and calling
for some light refreshment, not MOTTO
ing that two men passed into o little
room beyond, Svided from the other
by a screen, until he was arrested by
the sound Of a voice he knew. He felt
himself no cave dropper; he had q right
to hear anything thus spoksn-aye, q
double right-for though no name was
mentioned. he knew that 1t was Of
Ethel they spoke.
Eyes. we loved each other" one
said. seemingly lowering his voice, the
screen hiding the glance of triumph
shot through it toward him. who at last
had given him his ~long-coveted oppor-
tunity; but / could not speak before go
ing abroad. She misunderstood my ST.
lence, and through pique, perhaps
perhaps through mere womanly incon-
sistency-betrothed herself to another.
Now she feels she must at the demand
Of honor abide the issue. l have seen
her but two or three times. 1t is too
trying an ordeal for us both. Once 1
met him there. Had he been five min
utes earlier the whole truth would have
been revealed to him. 1 dare not, for
her sake, run the risk another time. It
is the old, old story Of two lives wreck
ed. Do you wonder now that I am q
changed man. FredP Forgive my frank
ness; but there are moments when o
man must speak to some living thing
or dier" =,
There were q few murmured words Of
sympathy from his companion. but
Cyril heard them not, As he staggered
from the place. =
Major Daryl heard the unsteady step
and smiled grimly.
Next weekday, tomorrow, my
lady-you win be freei I have played
cards well. l shall first sympathize,
then WOO. and then. my darling, win
and wear YOU For such . guerdon,
more urgent measures were excusable,
and l have but applied q little leaven
of exaggeration to bare facts-time,
place, and audience carefully chosen
But in Cyril Harcourt's brain all was
~chaos-chaos even when the morning
broke, and found him seated still at his
w~riting-table, with q few hastily writ
ten lines staring him in the face. They
wero these:
Last night l learned all the truth,
Ethel. / write now to bid you good
would thank you for these few months
Of happiness, but that it is cruelty TO q
blind man to. give him vision only
again to rob him Of it. But you doubt
less meant it for the best, and and
you seemed so happy. dear. that I could
not deem you otherwise"
1t was ten o'clock when this note
was delivered to Ethel. She read it
with gasping breath and w~ide-open.
staring eyes Of incredulity.
at il j. p~retencem Pride cried. ..Let
him GO
IN i is a plot to separate you."
argue, 90. '.See him once, face to
face in his eyes the truth. It
can do NJ womanliness no wrong; it
may s. .ar LIES happiness"
Tho wing morning Cyril Har-
court stood in his bachelor quarters.
trunks and valises strapped for q CONT.
mental tour.
The -iago was al 1.-THE door TO carr.
him to the station, when It gave way to
another, out Of which stepped q young
and lovely girl.
Another minute, and she was ushered
into the presence Of the man who had
written her those cold, inexplicable
words of farewell.
He grew deadly pale and staggered
back. She was quiet, calm, and self
possessed.
..Do not think that 1 mean to detain
you." she said. very quietly. "It has
cost my pride something TO como. moth
ing more; but I must know what you
meant by tho letter you sent me, and
why your manliness found so poor an
excuse to shirk an obligation grown
hateful to you."
"You really wish to know what you
must know already. You really wish
to drag again from my soul what 1 had
buried therep".
"All! Every wordw
In silence she heard him through
Then sho turned and walked toward
the door.
II will not detain you longer" she
said, pausing an instant ON the thresh-
hold. "You have given me back my
troth, l adept it; but first / wish you
to know that all you have heard is
false; that an hour ago I loved you
aye, SO well that I would have followed
you to the ends of the earth. OF that
love you were unworthy, and l have
torn you from my heart-the heart you
found empty and leave desolate."
In the last words there crept q sound