The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-04-01

he read it. If any one ever asks me for
you above all others. Why, she is half
in love with me already"
In love with him True, i was Willard
Fleming she had thought of when writ
ing. Me she had long since forgotten,
and had done my best to destroy my
last hope, if had ever been so foolish as
to cherish any
| went home half resolved to take no
further part in the conspiracy, and to let
Willard manage his courtship as best he
might But | had not the, e,courage to re-
linquish the bitter-sweet cf my fictitious
intercourse with her Powerfully affected
by our first meeting and only meeting,
her first letter had completed the mis-
chief. | was in love with her, and might
as well be in love with the moon.
wrote again, reckless, almost passion
ately Under Wilard's n2me | reflected
all the feelings which her letter had
aroused in me. | made no .ttempt to dis
guise my love, but | expn' ssed no hope.
1t vas } sad luxury to imagine her flush
ing cheeks and brighteniryA,yes as she
read my fervid lines &
The letter that came in reply was an
additional torture to me. 1t was very
apparent that, far from ofiepalng her, my
unguarded language hs2 won me
warmer place In acr heart. There was
sweet half confession Of nderness in
every word, such as would have been my
cue for an open declaration had | been
dealing with her honestly.
4
OF the dangerous ground Willard and
were treading upon in our deception 1t
ran:
81 cannot understand, dear friend, my own feel
ings when read your letters When met Won in
New York thought you one of The common place
young men one meets in society, and one ] could
never have felt any deep intcres. in As knew YOU
then; 1t seems now as if another person were
speaking to ma man with warm heart, deep
feelings and noble impulses J cannot reconcile
myself that the Willard Fleming once knew is the
Willard Fleming ! am now writing to. How have
deceived myself so? y
Sharp girl p commented Fleming,
when he read this passage Won't she
stare when she knows never wrote her a
line
The idea Of cheating her became every
hour more rcpugnant to me. If / could
have undone the whole unhappy bust
ness what would not have given. How
she would dcspsc us both when she came
to know the truth
This strange correspondence continued
throughout the winter could not
break the fatal chain had bound around
myself Every word from her was as
exile myself from her in hatred and con-
tempt. No, the end would come soon
enough in the inevitable course Of events
The end was nearer than / knew.
There came a letter from her-shall I
ever forget it (which, in its tender
outpouring of love, left me no alter
native but to make full declaration and
ask ber hand-in the name Of Willard
Fleming AS finished it | felt sense
Of sorrowful relief. The die was cast
Two weeks later received her accept
ance. She was Willard Fleming's be-
trothed wife. She had resolved to cut
her European tour short by several
months and return TO America. She con
fessed she could not be happy now unless
near me-alas, not me but the man who
had never offered her one tender word,
nor felt one thrill Of regard for her, Will
lard Fleming.
Willard was in high spirits at the pros
pect of the successful termination Of his
extraordinary courtship.
"Tm much obliged to you, old fellow"
he said, patronizingly. You have
done splendidly Why, bless my heart,
! don't wonder she came to terms. Some
of your letters read as if you W. re furi
ouslv in love with her yourself"
averted my head and made no reply.
Matters are in excellent shape" he
continued. "There will be no more ne
cessity of letters, and if we keep our Sc
cret she will never know anything about
it. If she discovers it, as | suppose she
must after our marriage, she can't nelp
herself"
While he was talking in this way my
heart sank within me with torturing
doubt which now occurred to me for the
first time. In my selfish love | had fol
gotten that was deliberately putting her
in the power of a man with whom she had
no sympathy, and whom she did not love.
Had not conspred to bring about the
lifelong misery of the woman loved?
1t was several days after her arrival be-
fore l saw her. Then was surprised at
her appearance. 1t was not that of a
happy betrothed bride Her face looked
worn and pale, and her manner was anx-
ious and sad. saw, too, that when Will
lard came near her she involuntarilv
shrank from him, and looked at him with
an expression of doubt and wonder. 1t
was but too plain that she had an intu-
tion of the deception put upon her. She
did not love him, and she could not un-
derstand her own feelings My heart
ached for her; longed to tell the truth
but how could l? However, it proved
to be my destiny to undeceive her in the
most unexpected manner. Shortly before
their marriage there came a rumor that
the trustee Of her property had defrauded
her; risked all in speculation and lost ALL
The rumOr was soon confirmed by Willard
himself.
He came into my room looking gloomy
and irritable. He flung himself into
chair with an oath.
{" Here's a pretty fix" he growled,
" Lydia's money is all gone"
"Well," said I, coldly, the loss of her
money has not lessened her value in your
eyes, hope"
Hasn't it 2" he replied. "I am not
the man to marry woman from senti
ment. Do you suppose | would have
gone to all that trouble unless l had
counted upon her fortune?'
Angry and disgusted as | was with