Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-10-13


message will be pleasant one"
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant message! The smile
deepened on the mans face as he low
ingly handled the letter little time
before he broke the seal. A pleasant
message!
These were the words he read:
"Mr. George Fenby-I will not con-
sent to be any longer hinderer re-
garding your higher ambition. l never
wish to speak with you again in all
my life. l give you back your freedom.
ALICE ARNDEN."
SO Mr.. Fenby's morning gift was
the gift of his eedom. What should
he do with itp His cheeks and lips
grew cold and white at the thought.
Merciful heaven! What could he do
with itp
The sky seemed darkened, the earth
seemed dreary and desolate, George
Fenby and Alice Arnden, bare quar-
ter of a mile apart, could not have
been more widely separated had an
ocean stretched between them. And
each looked on the same landscape and
saw it alike at last
1t was relief to both George and
Alice that there was service in the little
church that morning, and every ybOdy
would be looked for there. Secret sor-
row finds n oert sin abatement OF its in
tensity in the effort of appearing un-
concerned. Then there is mournful
pleasure in seeing what one has lost.
In place no larger than Marsham
every one knows everybody else. Every
one knows the business of everybody
in some degree, or thinks so, or says
so. SO our two friends were known,
and their relations 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 Warden was too shrewd a
man not to say what every one else
saw. He 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 Ralph.
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 Warden came the same road,
but quarter of mile behind him.
J Some distance out of the village Raj phi
, suddenly came upon two papers, rest
ing by the side OF the road. They had
most likely been pulled from the
pocket of the owner in removing his
pocket handkerchief. The smaller pa
per had blown apart; it lay upon the
, other, and its contents were so brief
/ that Ralph had read it before he had
taken it into 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 Warden stood for long time
! with his letter in hiis hand.
'I've read it once: it can do no harm
, to read it again" he said.
And he read it again-not once mere
| ly, but q dozen times. 1t seemed as il
= he was trying to draw something from
the bit of paper which he did not find
there.
After time he stopped and picked
up the other paper-a long, folded doc
ument; but the action was merely q
mechanical one. He did not open it tC
} see what it was; but, with his head
bent forward on his breast, and with q
, very grave face, he went on his way.
He walked more slowly than before
He sometimes stOpped and talked tC