The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-11-22

ne was searching Tor something in the
pocket, when his astonished fingers en-
countered and drew forth a rather
thick, fat, hard square of paper for
Which he could in no way account.
Mr.. Dw-EDGAR,
=. Box g.
New Y
Dwight Edgar Why, what does
this meanp / have had no letter from
him." reflected the astonished Ashley,
still intent on the disorganized frag-
ments. "But stay-this isn't letter
from him-but to him. How could it
get into my pocket?"
Here and there sentence could be
made out, or parts of sentences. "I
am SO very, very happy, but can't
tell you about that until -" Ought
to have got your letter four days ago"
---''S So you needn't go to Europe, you
see, for and then a blurred sigma
ture. "Come soon to your own
Ros p
cit flashed across him then. This
was the letter which Rosamond had
given him to post four weeks ago. 1t
had lain in his pocket all this time,
and had gone through the wash be-
sidesl Here was q pretty kettle of
fishl
Quickly his mind ran over the dis
jointed phrases. reading the half
obliterated meaning "between the
lines" The letter was in reply to an
offer from Edgar, there could be no
doubt of that.
Ashley had always suspected that
there was a tenderness in that quar-
ter. And Rosamond had said eyes"
What must she have been thinking
and feeling all these weeks?
And then a groan escaped from
Ashley, as it flashed upon his mind
that it was only fortnight since he
had read Dwight Edgar's name in the
list of "sailed for Europe - read it
aloud, with some careless comment.
Rosamond was in the room, he recol-
lected. What had she said? Had she
said anything? He seemed to remem-
ber that she got up quietly and left
She room.
How should he ever tell herp And
what use to tell, when Dwight was
gone, gone for years likely as notp Oh,
what had his carelessness done?
"I suppose he went because he
thought she had nothing to say to him" "
he said to himself, miserably.
The sound of the dinner-bell inter
rupted his unpleasant meditations, and
he went down feeling as though he
ought to be hanged.
Rosamond was in her usual place,
neat, graceful, smiling even; but study
ing her face closely he noticed an
effort in the smiles and cheerfulneSs.
| The sweet face was a little thinner;
the wild rose bloom, which was its
Characteristic, had paled to a fainter
pink, and Ashley heard his mother
ask, "headache again, my child?" And
caught the patient answer, "just Il
little"
With increased remorse he execrated
his. carelessness. What ought he to
do?
Long and deeply did he study over
the question. At last he took half
manly, half-cowardly resolution. Con-
fess his delinquency to his sister he
absolutely dared not, but that night
he wrote to Dwight Edgar, made a
full exposition of his fault, and in
closed the family blotted scrap which
said so little and meant so much.
This done, he set himself to wait
for the moment when he could pro-
duce evidence that, so far as in him
lay, he had made amends for his mis-.
doings, and till then he resolved to be
silent.
Ashley was right in his guess
Dwight Edgar had gone TO Europe g
deeply disappointed man. In the let.
ter, to which Rosa's was an answer
he had written: Don't say no. ]
could not bear that, nor could l give
your gentleness the pain of uttering
the word. l will wait two weeks anC
if at their end you have said nothing
l shall go abroad and travel till car
bear to come home again"
Not wise arrangement this, con
sidering what chances and changes
including postoffice laxities, are in
volved in this mortal life but lovers
are not always wise.
The two weeks passed without wore
or token, each slow day deepening hii
hopelessness, and at their end h,
sailed. His final arrangements were
made in hurry, and he had been glaC
to accept a friends benevolent Offel
of half a stateroom on the over
crowded steamer. 1t was benevolenct
very poorly rewarded for JohI
Blagden found him very dull com
pany.
For the first few hours he made
some little effort at conversation, theI
he dropped all pretenses and sat il
moody silence, staring at the dim back
ward horizon from which each stroke
of the paddles carried them farther anC
i. farther.
1t was no better after they reached
London. The two men took a set Of