The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-10-11

puzzled. The time had been when the
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 a quarter of a mile behind him.
Some distance out of the village Ralph
suddenly came upon two papers resting
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 lay upon the other,
and its contents were SO brief that
Ralph had read it before he had taken
it in bis hand, and before he was aware
of what he was doing. We have seen
the paper before. 1t was the brief let
ter in which Alice Arden had dismissed
George Fenby.
Ralph Warden stood for a long time
with the letter in his hand.
sTve read it once; it can do no - ,rm
to read it again." he SAID.
And he read j. .again-not once mere
~ gu. " dozen times. 1t seemed as if
ne was trying to draw something from
the bit of paper which he did not find
there.
Alter a time he stopped and picked
up tho other paper, q long, folded doc
ument, but the action was merely a
mechanical one. He 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.
He walked more slowly than before; he
sometimes stopped, and he talked to
himself from time to time.
eff this is final" he commenced
aloud, and then relapsed into silence.
ga hinderer.'" Then, after standing
and thinking for awhile, he went on:
.She never "a 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 10
WIN llCls IL has CoOb ACl 81 SICdO uSai
to give him up-anyone can see that
with half an eye. And his freedom is
not welcome to him; he neither wanted
it nor expected it.
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.
He seated himself at his table, placed
Alice Arnden,s letter upon it, and read
it again. Then for the first time he
looked at the other paper which he
picked up. He turned it over and saw
at once what it was-a deed from Der.
tram Kingsley, conveying certain lands
and buildings to George Fenby.
Suddenly he stood still, and a hot,
fierce flush crept up into his face.
81 wonder if it is true that hearts are
ever caught in the rebound as they
sometimes say they are? l 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, nor
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 presenr
and went up to his own room.
Ralph Warden drew a long breath
and the light faded slowly out of hi:
face. In a single moment he had seer
the whole secret of the misunderstood
ing. 1t might be necessary to go owe
it all to see the details, but the genera
outline of the unfortunate affair was
he felt, as certainly il mis- possession a
it could have been if he had been gi7er
the privilege of looking fully and freel,
into the minds of the two lovers whose
lives were drifting SO far apart.
Down went his head upon his handi
on the table-the winter sunshin,
shone that day on no nobler head-ant
from his lips came those words O
which frail humanity has deepest need
LEAD us not into temptation"
He thought it all out. Bertran
Kingsley owned the finest place in al
Marsham, or had until the deed wa
made which conveyed it to George
Fenby. Estella Kingsley, the daughte
of Bertram, was a beauty and some
thing of a fiirt.
More than one lady at Marsham hat
quarreled with her lover on Estell;
Kingsley's account. And last nigh
there had been a little gathering O
young people in the church and cir
cumstances had done their worst
seemingly. In the first place, Georg
Fenby came with Estella Kingsley; tn
meeting was not of a character t.
make it unkind for him to leave hi
promised wife to come with her father
as she had, but his coming with Mis-
Kingsley had been noticed by several
With the deed before him, Ralph War
den had no difficulty in deciding VIII
George had been at Mr.. Kingsley's
and consequently why he had come a
he had.
Ralph was well acquainted with
young man living where the Kingsley
had formerly resided, and through hir
he knew of the engagement of Mis-
Kingsley to q gentleman living there
He had known this for q long time; ali
knowing it had thought little of event
which might otherwise have deeply Il
fected him.
Last night, for instance, q laughin
group of gentlemen had spoken OF Mi:
Kingsley. One had said: ''She. is
beauty and an heiress. Whoever wiz
her will have a beautiful home. tt
Kingsley estate is the finest one
Marsham."
Now, every gentleman in the grou
knew that the Kingsley estate was fl
sale, and everyone had counted at i
true value the answer which Geore
Fenby had made. Indeed his devotiC
to Alice Arnden was so absolute ar
complete that no one, a W her mode
self, would ever have doubted it for
moment.
..It's my highest ambition to be tt
master of that estate, laughed Georg
"and 1 have made an offer which
think will be accepted. 1 am to ha,
an answer tonight. If 1 succeed
shall be Supremacy happy. If not
why, l will do as other men have dol
failing of what 1 want, l will tai
what 1 a get"
:. Ralph could not remember whe
Alice Arden had been when these inn
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