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

young people in the church, and cir
cumstaDces had done their worst
seemingly. In the first place, George
Fenby came with Estella Kingsley
the meeting was not of a character to
make it unkind for him to leave his
promised wife to come with her
father, as she had, but his coming with
Miss Kingsley had been noticed by
several. With the deed before him,
Ralph Warder had no difficulty in de.
Gliding why George had been at Mr..
Kingsley's, and consequently why he
had come as he had.
Ralph was well acquainted with a
young man living where the Kingsley's
had formerly resided, and through him
he knew of the engagement of Miss
Kingsley to a gentleman living there.
He had known this for a long time
and knowing it had thought little of
events which might otherwise have
deeply affected him.
Last night. for instance, a laughing
group of gentlemen had spoken of Miss
Kingsley. One had said, "She is a
beauty and an heiress. Whoever wins
her VIII have a beautiful home. The
Kingsley estate is the finest n in
Marsham."
Now, every gentleman in the group
knew that the Kingsley estate was for
sale, and every one had counted at its
true value the answer which George
Fenby had made. Indeed, his devo-
ton to Alice Arnden was S % absolute
and complete that no one, save her own
modest self, would ever have doubted
it for a moment.
at is my highest ambition to be the
master of that estate" laughed George,
"and 1 have made an offer which l
think will be accepted. L am to have
an answer tonight. If 1 succeed, 1
shall be supremacy happy. If not
why, 1 will do as other men have done
failing Of what l want, l will take
what l can get"
Ralph could not remember where
Alice Arnden had been when these fool
ish (possibly) but innocent words had
been spoken. That she Lad been neal
enough to hear them was evidenced by
her letter, which was before him.
He could only dimly imagine how she
must have suffered in trying to evolve
the truth Gas she believed the truth to
be) from what she had heard. When a
human idol falls from the place it has
filled in the heart, not the least of the
pain ome from what we see, OF be-
lieve we see, Of its unworthiness. To
find our gold but gilded clay is a sor-
rowful thing. So he sat there, and
pitied Alice Arnden for the faith in
man which she had lost, as well as for
the man himself who had been put
from her. With what pain beyond
that which would come to her from a
belief that her lover would think and
do what his words seem to imply, must
she face the added shame of his stoop-
ing to tell of it; nay, more, to boast
of it.
Ralph raised his head. The time
had not been long since he sat down to
think. But he knew it all. Two
proud and obstinate young creatures
had been parted by fate. And he NUT
tered with white, compressed lips, 81
alone understand it all. 1, alone, of all
the world, can set it right. What a
temptation |"
We will not seek to follow his
thoughts. What imam does should be
the basis of our Judgment, not what
he would do. If he thought of the
curative effects of time on suffering
hearts, we can forgive him; if a posi-
BILE future, in which a happy home of
his own was the central figure, rose up
to meet him, we can do no less than
pity him.
If she only had the slightest reason
for what she has done-but she has
non If George Fenby were really a
scoundrel-but he is truly a noble
man.
The band of sunshine rested on his
head like a golden crown His face
was almost glorifed as he raised it to
the light again. And surely the angels
made record of a second gift that day,
coming to the lot Of those whose lives
fall for a little time within the lines
of our story, when he said aloud: q
will do right | Alice Arnden shall have
her lover back again |"
Evening service at the little church
was over. Ralph Warder stood on the
steps as the congregation came out.
He looked happy.
If it be true "that coming events
cast their shadows before" and that
"virtue is its own reward" he was
happy. He spoke cheerfully TO this
n and that when they passed. He
did not look like a ~conspirator. One
would not have dreamed that he made
a plan which for audacity would find
few rivals, while for simplicity it
might find fewer.
"It's better to have it over as soon
as possible" he said to himself; "bet-
ter for them and for me-"
Alice Arnden was passing him. He
leaned forward.
"Will you come for a little drive
with rne, Miss Arnden? The night is
perfect, and you look as if fresh air
would do you good"
She accepted at once, hoping as