The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-06-15

ocean stretched between them. And
| each looked on the same landscape,
and saw it alike at last.
The village of Marsham was a small
one, and most of it was further from
the ocean than were the two houses at
the windows of which we have seen
two unhappy per; ons. .
1t was a relief to both George and
Alice that there was service in the
little church that morning, and that
| everybody would be looked for there.
Secret sorrow finds a certain abate-
ment of its intensity in the effort of
appearing unconcerned. Then there
was a mournful pleasure in seeing
again what one has lost.
In a place no larger than Marsham
every one knows everybody else.
Every one knows the business of
everybody else, in some degree, or
thinks SO, and says so. So our two
friends were known, and their rela-
tions to each other were known also.
And so poorly had they played their
parts that when service was finished
nearly all their friends had concluded
that their engagement was over, and
many were specializing as to the reason
for it.
Ralph Warder was too shrewd a
man not to see what every one else
saw. lie said but little about it as he
spoke to one and another after church,
but he was deeply interested and very
much puzzled. The time had been
when the gossips had connected his
name with that of Alice Arnden, and
there were those who had shaken their
heads when it became evident that she
had been won by George Fenby instead
of by him.
Ralph had never spoken to Alice of
love, and we will respect his reserve.
What he cared for her may remain a
sealed book.
George Fenby walked home alone.
Ralph Warder came the same road,
but a quarter of a mile behind him.
Some distance out of the village Ralph
suddenly came uron two papers, rest
ing on the snow by the side of the
road. They had most likely been
pulled from the pocket of the owner
in removing his handkerchief. The
smaller paper had blown apart it laid
upon the other, and its contents were
so brief that Ralph had read it before
he had taken it in his hand, and before
he was aware of what he was doing.
We have seen the paper before. 1t
was the brief letter in which Alice
Arnden had dismissed George Fenby.
Ralph Warder stood for a long time
with the letter in his hand.
"Tve read it once it can do no harm
to read it again." he said.
And he read it again-not once
merely, but a dozen times. 1t seemed
as if he was trying to draw something
from the bit of paper which he did not
find there.
After a time he stopped and picked
up the other paper, a long, folded docu-
ment, but the action was merely a me-
chanical one. lie did not open it to
see what it was, but with his head
bent forward on his breast, and with
a very grave face, he went on his way.
lie walked more slowly than before 4;
he sometimes stopped, and he talked
to himself from time to time.
elf this is final" he commenced
aloud, and then relapsed into silence.
ga hinderer.'" Then, after stanLslg
and thinking for a while, he went on;
"She V was that to him. And she
never was moody and self-distrustful."
He thought for many minutes now.
81 don't understand what she means
by his higher ambition His highest
ambition lately seems to have been to
win her. 1t has cost her a great deal
to give him up-any \ can see that
with half an eye. And his freedom is
not welcome to him; he neither want
ed it nor expected it,
Suddenly he stood still, and a hot,
fierce flush crept up into his face.
wonder ii it is true that hearts
are ever caught in the retound,' "a
they sometimes say they are?
will"
And he clenched his hands and hur-
ried on his way.
He did not stop again until he
reached his home, where his mother
and sister were waiting for him, MOI
did he think his thoughts aloud any
more. With a few words of greeting
and a few more of excuse, he put his
mother and sister aside for the pres.
ent, and went up to his own room.
The MONDAY sun was shining and
making everything pleasant. There
was a glow in the wintry air which
seemed to have a promise of summer
in it.
lie seated himself at his table, placed
Alice Arnden's letter upon it, and read
it again. Then fo- the first time he
looked at the other paper which he had
picked up. He turned it over, and
saw at once what it vas deed from
Bertrand Kingsley, conveying certain
lands and buildings to George Fenby
Ralph Warder drew a long breath
and the light faded slowly out of his
face. In a single moment he haC
seen the whole secret of the misunder
standing. 1t might be necessary to g
over it all to see the details, but thu
general outline of the unfortunat,
a =. - f,lA 90 n1uks.Ixv - l.,