Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-04-03

| Hicting emotions VIII ch flled me.
tlt that It could not fail to have its
effect, for was wiring for myself f!--as
| | should have written hid it been my
right to adires. her in my own name
mailed it TWO days later, knowing it
won Id seach her shortly af' r erarrival.
waited impatiently for her rel ly.
Willard had arranged to have her letters
directed to me. After hid read them
was tn turn them over o him together
with a draft of my answer.
Three weeks later found an envelope
po,tmarked France, and add essed in
delicate feminine hand lying upon my
desk. tore il open with I embliug
fingers. 1t was from Lydia More'on.
In every line of it | detected the etfcc'
of the letter | had written her. 1t was
more than kind it was just upon that
neutral eroutd which lies between
friendship and something more tender.
| read and lie read it. carried It about
with me for several days before | could
bring myself TO give i, TO willard 1t
seemed as If it had been meant for ne.
What difference whose name was at the
Top of it? Ny words, my feelings, my
hopes had drawn it forth. 1t had hc,0
writtcn.to me; hut alias ! Ind no right
to it
Bravo cried Willarl, 10 delight, IS
he read it, "II any one asks me for a
private secretary, sh,l, recommend
you above all others. Why, she is half
in love with me slread'."
In love with himi True, i, was Viii
lard Fleming she had thought of when
writing. Me she bad long since forgot.
ten, and had done my best to destroy
my last hope, if had ever been 80 fol.
ish as to chcri- h any,
went home half resolved to take no
further part in the conspiracy, and to
let Willard manage his courlship A. best
he might But had not the courage
to relinquish the bitter-sweet Of my &c.
titious Intercourse with her. Power.
fully effected 10y our first meeting and
only meeting, her first letter had com.
pleted the mischief | was in love with
her, and might as well be in love with
the moon,
wrote again. reckless, almost Tass.
ionste!y. Under " llard's name re.
flected all the feelings which her letter
had aroused in me. made no attempt
to di-Rui' my love, but expressed no
hope. 1t wa . sad luxury to imagine
her flushing cheeks and Frightening
eyes a. she read my friVid lines.
The letter that came in reply vas sn
additional torture to me. Il vas very
apparent that, far from offending her,
my unRuArdcd language had won me .
warmer place in'hcr heart. There was
a sweet, half confession Of tenderness in
every word, such a. would have been
my cue for an open declaration had
been dealing with her honestly.
A paragraph in her letter warned me
of the dangerous ground Willard and |
were treading upon in our deception.
/ /, ran:
II cannot understand dear friend
my own feel ngs when read your let,
ters. when met you in New York |
thought YOU one Of the common place
/ young men one meets in society, and
one could never have felt any deep
interest in, as ! knew YOU then. 1t
seems now As if smother person were
/ speaking to me--a man with warm
heart, deep feelings and noble impulses
| cannot reconcile myself that the vii
! ri Fleming once knew i. the willard
Fleming ! am now writing to. How
have | deceived myself so7'
"Sharp eirll' commented Fleming,
when be read this passage. "Eon't she
stare when she knows | never wrote
/ her line
The idea Of cheating her became
every hour more repurnant to me. Ii
could have understood the whole un-
happy business what would not have
givenl How she would despise us both
when she came TO know the truth
This strange correspondence contin
usd throughout the winter. could
not break the fatal chain | bad bound
around myself. Every word from her
was as precious as life. ! could not vol
untarilly exile myselffrom her in hatred
and contempt. No, the end would
come coon enough in the inevitable
course Of events. The end was nearer
than know.
There came Aletter from her--shall
ever forget it7-which. in its tender out
pouring OF love, left me no alternative
but TO make full declaration and ask