St. Paul daily globe., 1885-06-14

bIltu Ill Ndlll W lOIStt. LII Is llkC lOOhiIlS
into heaven over a wall she cannot pass.
Kingsley Dunham sees them, and his
face brightens. He sends them greeting
in glance Mary is all a-flutter with ex-
citement but Alice is calm; at least out
wardly. If he could only see into her heart!
Kingsley Dunham's voice as he reads from
the sacred volume fills her soul with music.
When he begins to preach it seems as if he
must be preaching for her alone. He tells
| them that the heart that has sinned must
make atonement by confession of its sins
and by turning away from the past Has
she not sinned? she asks herself. The old
clock knows and she knows, and-GOd
knows! 1t seems that if that letter lay upon
her soul, and the weight of it will hold her
| soul down forever. With that guilty act
unconfessed and unfOrgiyen how can she
ever be at peace?
She has made up her mind long before the
! sermon is over as to what course she will
take. She will confess what she has done.
She feels as if the shame of confession will
kill her, but she will get rid of her secret.
The services are through at last. She
sees Kingsley Dunham coming towards
them. Her face is as pale as it will be when
she is dead Her heart almost stands still
for moment, then beats faster than ever
before.
She meets him before he reaches their
pew. She is aware that his hand is reached
out to her, and that his face is radiant with
pleasure. But she does not touch the hand
he offers.
Il want to tell you that I never gave
Mary that letter." she says, in low, sweet
voice. 81 hid it in the old clock. It's there
now. Forgive me, if you can" Then be-
fore he can speak or stop her she turns and
goes hurriedly down the aisle past the won
dering Mary, who has seen all that has
taken place. but cOmprehendS nothing of
what it means.
When Mary reaches home she goes di-
rectly to Alice's room.
''What was the matter tonight" She
begins, but Alice stops her.
II am glad you came here" she says. 81
should have come to you, if you had not, to
make confession of wrong did you three
years ago. You will hate me, | suppose,
when you hear it, and deserve it. L kept
back letter that Kingsley Dunham left for
you. felt sure that he asked you in it to
be his wife, and-and-I could not give it
to you, as had promised to. hid it in
the old clock. o, / cannot look at you!
want you to go away and leave me to my
shame and disgrace. Tomorrow will go
home. [ can never look in your face or his
again." And Alice Crawford drops her
face in her hands and sObs over the humili-
alton she has brought upon herself.
''You must have been mistaken in think
ing he asked me to be his wife," Mary says,
81 was engaged to George at that time, and
Kingsley Dunham knew it. Let me go and
find the letter. That will explainit ALL"
She comes back presently with an excited
face.
30, Alice, read thatr' she cries, and puts
the letter in her Cousins hands.
And Alice reads:
''My Dear Friend Mary: 1 am a foolish,
cowardly man. l know it. But braver
men have been towards before woman's
eyes. | love your cousin Alice, but fear
to tell her so. She puzzles me. / some
times think she cares for me. Then her
mood changes. and | seem to be held great
distance away from her. You must know
how to read wOman's heart a great deal
better than do. Is there chance of win
ming her? | shall be gone before you come
back and I shall not be here to see you be-
fore you leave for Europe, but you can
write to me and tell me if there is anything
to hope. KINGSLEY DUNHAM."
Alice Crawford reads the letter through
with dry eyes, She has been so near to
heaven! so near! But her own hand has
barred the door against her entrance. The
sense of what she has lost, of the fatal result
of her guilty act, benumbs her.
''Go away, please" she says by and by.
Il want to be alone"
When morning comes she tells them she
is going away, and at once.
''You shall not CO." Mary cries. 'sYou
must not!"
Il must" she answers. ct could not
see him after reading that letter. Don't
urge me to stay, for it will do no good"
An hour later she Is being borne New
Englandward, and she carries with her the
| letter that tells her how Kingsley Dunham
| loved her. 1t is a terrible thing to read, but
she would not part with it for the world
Back again in the old home, full of the
awful loneliness clinging to familiar places
after the death of those we love. 1t seems
to her as if years have passed since she
went out over its treShold two weeks ago.
In these two weeks she has found out how
sin brings its own punishment And surely
sin never had bitterer punishment than
hers has had.
1t is the second night since her return
She sits alone. What she is thinking about
you know as well as I. 1t seems to her that
there is but one thing to think about for the
rest of hec lifetime. Every day will repeat
the thoughts of yesterday.
The gate opens. She hears step on the
path-a mans step. She knows whose it
is-she would know it anywhere.
''How can see him?" she cries. 81 can
not, l will not" But her feet refuse to
obey her when she wills to fly.
He comes in and looks about in the
| twilight.
''Alice," he says gently, ''are you here9"
Eyes, [ am hereW she cries 30, why
could you not have spared Inc this? Was
not my punishment enough already"
Then her voice breaks and hot tears come
Il have come to ask you if you kept back
that letter because you loved me?" he says
''Was it that?"
Eyes" she cries out, in desperation.
'Ask what you will, humble me as you will,
1 deserve it all. | kept the letter back be-
cause I loved YOU"
''Then nothing shall hencefOrth come be-
tween us" he says, softly, and gropes about
in the twilight till he finds her hand and
holds it prisoner in his own strong palm.
''But you forgetw she cries. You can
not forgive my sin. You must hate and
despiSe me for it,"
Il forget nothing" he answered. ssGod
forgives lis and loves us after wrong-doing.
Shall not I, who try to be like him in other
things. be like him in this? And you did it
because you loved me, Alice. Perhaps |
ought not to think of in that way, but |
cannot help dong so. need you Come
to me and help me do the work 1 have ull-
dertaken."
Il will come if you are sure you can for
| give" she cries.
And she knows by the kiss he gives he1
how great his gladness is. And how glad
she is you may understand, but words OF
mine cannot tell.
Hints On Summer Diet.