Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-07-20

4
I letter, remarking:
This Is for your friend. You are at lib
erty to read It yourself, and see that il
reaches your friend by the first steamer
The happiness OF two lives depends upon
t."
Alone in his stateroom the stranger read
these words;
IF YOU desire q reconciliation with the
woman you once loved, come at once to
GreyviIle. She has promised her hand to
another, but he knows her heart is yours.
There has been a terrible mistake. She be
heyed you desired your freedom because Of
the loss Of fortune and position, and is
grieying her life away. Come at once and
restore the haypinesszo her life aud OF
your own
In vain did the reader of the missive
strive for an interview with its writer.
Colonel Egbert avoided him, and lost him
self in the maelstrom of New York streets
a; once upon arriving.
Business delayed Colonel Egbert in New
York for two days.
The night of the third day witnessed his
return to Greyville
But he did not make his presence known
10 the woman whom he wOrshiped-thc
woman for sight of whose face he hunger
Ell with a pain ike the gnawing psngs OF
starvation
He crept to his rooms aud passed a night
of Sleepless misery How could he resign
This women TO another? And yet II must
be done.
In the morning he must go and tell her
Of the JOY in store for her-teIi her,
100. with such control, that her joy need not
be merged in pity for his sacrifice.
Pale and haggered he descended from
his room the following morning, resolved to
acquaint Agatha with the facts in his po,
session at once.
The sooner he had spoken what must DE-
spoken the better for them both.
After a light breakfast and an attempt to
make himself presentable and remove the
traces of sleepless vigil, he set forth upon
his dreaded Grand ~
But what WIS his surprise TO come face
10 face with MS unknown 'compagnon de
voyage at the door of the hotel.
You are the man | most desire 10 see;
we'll met cried the stranger, heartily. Il
am come in answer to your mysterious let
ter, hoping might learn something morc
from you before ] venture into the presence
Of the lady. am no other han the
friend of whose relation TO Miss Redwing
told you. and TINS you see, | was unable to
do your bidding speedily.
So this was Guy Wilson, He was stand
ing face to face with the man Agatha Red
wing loyed-this elegant handsome, cul
rured man OF travel No wonder she had
been unable to forget hirn-tO love 80 I'm
couth a specimen OF manhood a himself.
These we're thoughts that fitted hotly
through the tired brain Of Colonel E"bert
as he greeted his new friend.
And am the man who has the promise
Of Miss Redwing's hand, but has never been
able 10 in her heart" he said, with some
hing ike the spectre OF a smile upon his
face confessions and surprises seem t.
p the order Of the hour propose we com
picie them bv taking Miss Redwing by sur
prise and confessing to her our situations
! an ready 10 resign her to YOU hands. She
las told me she loves you sill. but, believ.
ug YOU were unworthy of her love. she wa
,illng TO become my wife. Now that yO,,
Are Justified bv an explanation | cannO
longer consider her promise to me binding
md therefore set her free. Come with M
~ once and let us make an end of this com
phcation
An hour later, what was the aStOniSh
;rent of Agatha Redwing to see shown into
lpr presence two men-Colonel Egbcrt he:
hetrothed husband whom She had not seeu
tor two n Onths. and Guy Wilson, her old
ioyer whom she had not seen for four
Years The one strong, brave-cred, mas
,uline, full of fire. and courage, and nObjli
~ the other tall, 1.-the elegant, hut effemi
rate and languid
Colonel Egbert was the first to speak.
He crossed the room hurriedly, aud began
Iurriedly to speak The words tell from
his hips a. live Goals might have fallen from
his hands as if they scared and burned in
irOpping.
Agatha, have come to make you blcst
and happy | met this man-yOur one
'oye-up0n shipboard. Accidentally ]
learned from him of the injustice YOU had
lone him of the injustice he has done you
al these years There has been great
mistake He has loved YOU he has been
rue 20 YOU, but he thought YOU cast him OIL
Il is not too late, thank God to remedy thu
error. free you, Agatha; ! give You back
10 the man you have so we'll loved. DO not
think of me, do not pity me. | am glad
and thankful God has made me an in>trQ
ment in restoring to you your own. Take
him aud be happy, and heaven bless you
both
He was turning to go when a word re
called him
Charlie, said tremulous voice.
He turned and paused
Agatha stood gazing with wide eyes and
treuulous lips from one 10 the other.
Both looked at her with their hearts in
their eyes.
II was picture for painter these tw"
men 30 unlike. waiting Tor the decision u
this lovely blonde woman, whose head VA
half dropped upon her heaving breast, whil''
her hands we're tightly locked before her
"Aga'ha
1t was Guy Wilson, voice that broke the
silence now, the voice she had so loved, =
iongcd to hear.
Agatha, have YOU no wort oil WelcOh
for one who has been a wanderer for Won
sake -
The blonde head lifted, the blue eye
rested upon his handsome face Why wa
it that perfect face had no charm for her
Perhaps she read her soul aud knew that !
lacked the essence of true manhood.
At all events she was conscious that tn
ideal hero Of her dreams was swiftly van
ishing, fading. dissolving to the real MAI
before her the efeminate man whose elr
gance and immaculateneSS offended her
whose perfectly modulated tones annoyed
her. because they lacked that ring Of strong
manhood and whose woful weakness, o;
character seemed stamped upon ever:
classic feature.
Was this the man she had wasted hei
heart love upon? Love? No, only he.
dreams. She had loved him only in ina
gination, and now that he stood before he:
again. the scales fell from her eyes and shc
felt for him sense almost Of repulSion.
Her eyes turned toward Colonel Egoer
and rested there hungrilv.
l. Ill L. apA no M