The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-09-13
He thought for manv minutes now


by his higher ambition" His highest
ambition lately seems to have been to
win her. 1t has cost her great deal to
give him up-any one can see that with
half an eye: And his freedom is not
nor expected it."
The MONDAY sun was shsning and
making everything pleasant. There
was glow in the wintrv air which
seemed to have promise of summer in
it.
He seated himself at bis table, placed
Alice Arnden's letter upon it, and read
it again. Then tor the first time he
looked at the other paper which he had
picked up. He turned 1t over and saw
at once what It was-a deed from Der.
tram Kingsley, conveying certain lands
and building to George .Fenby.
Suddenly he stood til, and hot,
fierce flush crept up into his face.
II wonder if it is true that hearts are
ever Caught in the rebound" as they
sometimes say they are? l whip
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; nor did he think
his thoughts aloud any more. With q
few words of greeting and q few more
Of excuse, he put his mother and sister
aside for the present, and went up to
his own room.
Ralpn Warden drew long breath, and
the light faded slowly out of his face.
In a single moment he had seen the
whole secret of the misunderstanding.
| 1t might be necessary to 90 over it all to
see the details, but the general outline
,f 70 T., 81
| certainly in his possession as It could
| have been If he had been given the priv
ilege Of looking fully and freely into the
| ninds OF the two lovers whose lives
were drifting so far apart.
Down went his head upon his
hands the table-the winter SUM-
shine shOne that day on no nobler
head-and from his lips came those
words Of which frail humanity has deep
est need, LEAD US not into temp
tation."
He thought it all out. Betram King
sley owned the finest place in all Marsh-
am, or had until the deed was made
which conveyed it to George FeAby.
Esteila Kingsley, the daughter of Der.
tram, was beauty aud something of a
! firt.
More than one lady at Marsham had
qnarreled with her lover on Estella
K!ngsiey's account, And last night
there had been little gathering OF the
young people in the church and circum-
stances had done their worst-seeming-
ly. In the first place, George Fenby
came with Esella Kingsley; the meeting
was not OF character to make it unkind
or him to leave his promised wife t.,
come with her father, as she had but
his coming with Miss Kingsley had been
noticed by several. With the deed be-
fore him, Ralph Warden had no diff.
Aculty in deciding Why George had been
1T Mr.. Kingsley 8 and consequently why
he had come as he had.
Ralph was we'll acquainted with q
young man living where the Kingsley's
had formerly resided, and through him
heard ofthe engagement OF Miss Kingsley
Ga gentleman living there. He had
Known this for a long time and knowing it
thought little of events which might
otherwise have deeply affected hi.a.
Last night, for instance, a laughing
Kingsley. One had said: "She is a
beauty and an heiress. Whoever wins.
her will have a beautiful home. The
Kingsley estate is the finest one in
Marsham."
Now, every gen in the group
knew that the Kingsley estate was for
sale and every one had counted at its
true value the answer which George
Fenbv had made. Indeed his devotion
to Alice Arm EN- was so absolute and
com .'lete that no one, save her modest
self would ever have doubted it for a
moment.
Its my highest ambition to be the
master of that estate" laug he'd Georgt.,
! I hnx, :-H
think will be accepted. am to
have an answer tonight. If succeed
shall be supremacy happy. Ifnot-why,
l will do as other men have done-tai-
ing of what want, will take what 1
Can get"
Ralph could not remember where
Alice Arnden had been when these in
nocent words had been spoken. That
she had been near enough to hear them
was evident by her letter, which was
before him.
He could only dimly imagine how she
must have suffered in trying to evolve
the truth (as she believed the truth to
be- from what she had heard. When q
human idol falls from the place it has
filed in the heart, not the least of the
pain comes from what we see, or believe
we see, of its unworthiness. To find
our oorrog gS1d th but gd led ..t clay is
pitied Alice Arden for the b' ,aith ei1 in mann a
which she had lost, as we'll as for the
man himself who had been put from
her. With what pain beyond thai
which would came to her from belle
that her lover would think and do VIVA,
his words seemed to imply, must she
face the added shame Of his stoop.
ing to tell it; nay, more, to boast of
it.
Ralph raised his head. The time had
not beer long since he sat do wn to think
But he knew it all, Two proud and OBJ
stinate young creatures had been parted
by fate. And he muttered with white
compressed lips, II alone understand i
all. l, alone, of all the world. can set j
it right. What temptation!"
We will not seek to follow his thoughts
What man does should be tie basis OF
our Judgment. not what he would do
If he thought of the curative effects O
time on suffering hearts, We can forgive
;, him If possible future, in which a hap
py home of his own was the central hg-
! ure, rose up to meet him, We can do NJ
8 for what she had done-but she ha
none. If George Fenby was really ,
scoundrel-but he is truly noble man
The band of sunshine rested on hi
hea like golden crown. His face wa,
. almost gloritied as he raised it to tn
, light again. And surely the angels mad,
= a record of second gift that day com
. ing to the lot of those whose lives fall
, little time within the lines of our story
for when he said aloud: II will do ri hit
Alice Arden shall have her lover bac
q again."
Evening service at the little churc
!: was over. Ralph Warden stood on tn
steps az the congregation came out. HI
). looked happy.
lift be true that ''coming events cat
their shadows BEFORE" and that "virtu'
ie Its own reward" he was happy. H
, spoke cheeriully to this one and tha
J, when they passed.
"" He did not look like conspirator. On
5 would not have dreamed that he ha,
;, made a plan which for audacity woult