The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-04

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do select the fortunate man, cousin
mine. let me know. and / promise
10 oficiate as best man on the COCA
sion."
Ell will certainly call upon you. il
you do not 6rst set me the exam pie, 4"
she replied.
And, snatching her hand from bis
OBTAINING grasp, she ran out OF the
room.
''By JoveI ss a friend she's not 20
Dad. 1t was only the idea of matri-
mony which made her ineupports-
bic" thought the young man return
ing to bis writing.
But somehow the letter to Uncle
Reuben dragged; the outdoor stmss-
phere seemed to invite him to its en-
Ijoyment. So, thrusting away the
unfinished page, he sailed forth with
q lighter heart than he had known
lin many days, now that the burden
of future possibilities had been lifted.
To morrow be would be amid new
scenes, but at least he could remem-
Der Helen, not as an awkward de-
butGnte, forced upon his liking. but q
girl frank enough to break down the
barriers which hitherto had made
even friendship between them impas
sibls.
To morrow? How little one knows
Of the to morroWl
Tossing on bis bed in feverish, de-
lirious pain, Arthur Rugby noted not
time, nor recokened when that NOR
row to which he had lcoKed forward
became to day.
He had been in the midst Of the
enjoyment of his days shooting,
when the barrel of the gun be car
ried burst, seriously iriuring his arm
and shoulder.
In the dusk OF the evening he had
been borne back, senseless and bleed
ing. to spend long, weary days and
Wesrier nights of pain and Wskeful
restfulnsss.
How glad Helen was that all pos
sible misconstruction of Gny act OF
kindness was done away with.
They 90 fully understood each
other now, so entirely comprehended
the mutual aversion with which they
regarded the future folly others had
wished them to perpetrate, that che
might take her place in the sick room
without a moments check upon her
hearts impulse.
Therefore, it was she who adjusted
the light 60 that it might not be too
strong; it was her hands which knew
best how to arrange and cool the
heated pillows beneath his aching
bead; it was her voice which Whiled
away the hours OF convalescepce,
reading to him the books he chose;
1t was her step which never Jared IS
it glided to and fro across his cham
Der; it was her coming he grew to
watch for. her going he learned to
miss, until the slow weeks glided by,
bringing with them returning health
and strength, which, for the first
time in his young life, had been so
suddenly stricken from him.
But, although now able to leave
the house where so long he had baen
an enforced guest, he sill fingered.
A iull month had now elapsed
since his accident, when, one even
ing, sitting in the library. his unGn
ished letter to Uncle Reuben met his
eye. He took it up and read it al
Full well be remembered the CENT
ment OF almost aversion WHEN hid
filled his breast as he perused tr,'-s
lines. To what had II glven - acc
'o-dsy? Never before hal ne ~ k su
him,elf the question. Il pressed
upon him with ov-rwheImlng force.
Had he been blind, that, when be
might have reached out his hand for
this most priceless gltt, be wiliulIy
thrust it one side? How bare, how
empty, how desolate his future lie
IookedI And all because But just
here bis reverie was cut short.
The library door opened, and the
blonde head of his cousin was thrust
inquiringly in.
us Runty in?" she asked.
"No," he answered.. but come III.
l nave something to SHOW you, and
he held up the letter be had penned.
81 wrote this the day l was hurt.
Read it." be said.
Wonderiugly she took it from him,
The room was half In shadow; but. as
che cleaned its meaning, the semi
darkness could not quite conceal the
panied flush which rose to tbs lovely
face, and the hurt, amazed look
which grew in the dark eyes. Her
heart gave q throb of pain, as
through its sufferings il realized its
own existence; but it's anguished cry
was stuffed, and only goOrnful anger
was in her tone when at last she
spoke.
"Dd you go entirely fail to compre-
bend me, and the nature of the bond
between us, that you find it necessary
to remind me of it thus?" she cues
toned.
"You wrong YOURSELF" be said. |
"Can you not understand a mans |
so great a folly that be |
feels be must confess it? Helen, you
hold my confession in your hands. |
Oh, tell me. is there for me no abso-
luton? Gan you not forgive my
blind arrogance-my self.conceited
suiCide of my own happiness? Helen,
you took the smart from my wounds