Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-03-26


been won by George Fca y, instead OF
Ralph.
kalph had never spoken to Alice of
10 c, and we will respect his reserve
What he cared for her may remain
sealed book
George Fenby walked home alone.
Ralph Warden came the same road,
but quarte' of mile beh n him.
Some distance out of the villa Ralph
suddenly came upon two papers rest ng
on the snow by tae de 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 REF tn
Ralph Lad read il before he had taken
it in his hand, and before he was aware
of what he was doing. We have seen
the paper before. Ii was the b lief let
ter in which Alice Arden had dismissed
George Fenby.
Ralph Warden stood for q long time
with the letter in his hand.
eve read il once it can do no harm
to read it again" he SAID.
And he read ii again once mere
| ~, but n dozen times. II seemed Us if
he was trying 10 draw something from
re bit OF paper which lie did not find
there.
A.ter time he stopped and picked
up the other paper, long, folded doc
umept, but the Gction was merely
mechanical one lie did rot open it
to see what it was, but with his head
bent forward on lbs breast, and VITA q
very grave face lie went on his way.
lie walked more owly than be orc, he
sometimes stopped, AMI he talked to
himself from time to tire.
1T this is final lie comm anced
aloud, and then relapsed into silence.
"a hinderer. Then, a ter standing
and thinking for awhile, he went on;
"Shc never was that 10 him. And she
never was moody and self.distrustful.
He thought for many minutes now.
IL don t under tand what sac means
by his 'highe' ambt on. His highest
ambition lately seems 70 hive been 10
win her. 1t has cost her q great dea
to give him up anyone can see tina
with half an eye And i, freedom is
not welcome to him; lie neither waited
it nor expected it.
The noonday sun was shining and
making everything please mt There
WIS glow in the Wiutry air which
'eo"1cd to have o promise OF summer
in it.
ne seated himself at his table, placed
Alice Arudens letter upon it, an read
it again. Then foc the first time he
looked at the other r"per which he
picked up. Re III ned It over and saw
ut on what it was Il deed from Ber-
ram kingsley, conveying certain lands
and building to George tcnby.
Suddenly he stood still, and q hot,
fierce flush cre~t MP into his ia e.
II wonder ii it IS true Il at hearts arc
ever caught in thu rebound as they
sometimes say theg are2 l will -"
And he clonched his hands and huc-
ried on his way.
Ho did not stop again until he
reached his home, where his mother
and sister were waiting for HIM, nor
did he think bis thou yhts aloSd any
more With few words OF gree, inc
and few more of excuse be put his
mother and sister aside for the presen
and went up TO his own room.
Ralph Warden drew n long br ath,
and the light faded slowly ont o. his
face In q single nome Il he had seen
the whole secret of the isu1derstand-
ing. 1t might he necessary to 90 over
it all 10 see the details, b. the ge neral
outline OF the unfortunate q air was,
he felt. rs certainly in his p possession as
it could have been Il he had been given
the privilege Of looking iul Y and freely
into the minds OF the two lovers whose
lives were drifting 50 far apart.
Down went his head upon his hands
on the table the wintcc sunshine
shone that day on no nojlcr head an
from his lips camo tao words of
which frail humanity has deepo t need:
lead us not into temptation
He thought it al out. Bert am
Kingsley owned the fine t pla'e in all
Marsham, or had until the deed was
male which conveyed it to George
Fenby. Estella Kingsley, the daughter
OF Bertram, was beauty and some
thing of dirt.
More than one lady at Marsham had
quarrelcd with her lover on Est3lla
kingsley's account. And last night |
there had been little gathering OF
young people in the church and CIR
cumstances had done q cir worst
seemingly. In tie first place, George
Feuby came with Estclla Kingsley: the |
meeting WAS not Of q chara ter to
make it unkind for hin, 10 leave his |
promised WIFE to come with her father,
rs she had, but his coming with Miss
Kingsley bad been not ced by several. |
With the deed before him, Raloh War.
den had no difficulty in deciding why
George had Teen at Mr.. Kings ey's,
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
he knew OF the engagement of Miss
Kingsley to gentleman living there
He had known this for q long time; and
knowing it had thought little of events
which might otherwise have deeply If
fected him.
Last night, for instance. n laughing
group of gentlemen had spoken OF Miss
Kingsley. One had said "She is o
beauty and an heiress. Whoever wins
her will have o beau iful home. The
Kingsley estate is the finest one in
Marsham.
Now. every gentleman in the group
knew that tho Kingsley estate was for
sale. and everyone had counted at its
true value the answer which George
Fenby had made. Indeed his devotion
10 Alice Arnden was so absolute and
complete that no one, save her modest
self, would ever have doubted it for Ii
moment.
"It's my highest ambition to be the
master of that estate, laughed George,
"and I have made an offer which
think will be accepted. l am to have
an answer tonight. If / succeed
shall be Supremacy happy. If not
why, will do as other men have done !
failing of what I want, will take
what can get"
Ralph could not remember where
Alice Arden had been when these inno-
cent words had been spoken. That she |