Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-12


him longer. II she does her secret is not
safe.
She find. the letter there when sh. goa,
down
Il know what the question is that he has
asked her, she says, As she takes up the
missive. He has asked her to be his wife
Her answer to toe question is what will
affect his whole life, and then she laughs
discordantly- She feels more ike dropping
her bead on the table and crying for the
pain at her heart is sharp AMI bitter She
feels kind OF herce, hard anger against
Kingsley Durham, against her cousin Mary,
against all the world
She takes up the letter again, and looks at
It with eyes and face full Of rebellion at dss-
tiny.
II am to be to her the bearer of a message
OF love from him." she cries Il, who love
him as she never will Fate is fun OF bitter
irony wien il makes me- such messenger
IL will not do it, with sudden fierce DE-
termination. She crumpiss the letter in ha-
hand, AMI Look, about her Sac sess the
old clock in the hall She goes to ii. opens
il, and dropi the latter into its m,starioIs
depths
1s3tay there forever she saws. and turns
with guilty start to the postmin at ths
door; be has brought her u letter ron her
mother
The schools will opsn two weeks earlier
than usual she reads -You must come
home at once. you will lose your plac, IS
teacher"
Two days later she goes back 10 the New
England village in which her work is wait
ing for her. And that day King Dun
ham goes 10 a little church in the vest 70
begin his work
$50 our paths run apart she says rs tine
train whirls her away from the city where
she has pas ed summer full Of sad and
sweet experiences; for love, even if IT gives
all and receives nothing, is always sweet;
-and perhaps it is better So
Three years have gone. Alice Crawfor
is again visitor at her cousins home.
Mary is married, hut not 10 Kingsley
Durham. Why she did not marry him
Alice never asks The remembrance ri
what she has done AMI of what TIE oh
clock knows fills her with guilty shame.
She never goes through the haii without
feeling hot flush come into her face as she
hears the cloc'i ticking out the hrIrs. /;
seems 10 be accusing her. Sh, i, afraii
Of it
She is glad to know that Mary was no.
robbed OF happiness Icy her act That she
is sure Of, for IL ever woman was happy
in husbands love that woman is Mary. Ii
she had founi her cousin grieving for what
her life had lost she could never forgive her
self for what she has done. She begins 10
think she cannot, as il Is. She hates herself
for having gwen way TO temptation She has
lost sslf.respect More than once she resolve.
to confess every thing TO her cousin Bat the
humilia' ion Of such a confession she feels 10
10 more rhan she can bear when she come
to ATTEMPT il.
She is alone in the world nov. Her
mother is dead. Henceforth there is none
to toll for hut herself She misses the in
centivs that urged her on 10 steady, hard
work. The outlook is not bright one for .
woman who feels the need Of something
20 love and work for.
you can not guess what I heard to-day"
Mary says one evening as Sic and Alice sit in
the nursery together. where the pride OF the
family is having hard time of it trying
not to go to sleep kingsley Durham Is
coming here Ia fill DIR. Canield'- Place
through the latter's vacation, they say
A sudden light comes -into Alice Craw-
ford's eyes. But it dies out as suddenly as it
came. And with i Il warmth kindles for
moment in her heart, then leaves it colder
than before But it Is enough 10 tell her
that she has not conquered her heart, ana
that she never Will
Il shall be glad to see him. Mary goes "a.
He was always like a brother TO me
They are sitting together in the paw at
church the next Sabbath evening. whsa
they become aware Of the fact that Kings
ley Durham has come.
20, Alice" whispers Mary. sthere be- Is
coming in with DIR. Garfield. How he has
changed, What Z Splendid looking man he
is. knew he would le. ! wish ] could 60
right up TO tho minister's desk AMI speal, to
him and shake hands with him don't
know low 7 can wal. until TIE sar:1ol !,
over.
Alice Crawford hears her cousins voice.
but she does not know one word of what she
is saying. She only knows one tbing-tha;
she sees the face of the man she loves hest
of any one in the world, the man she has
tried in vain to forget IL is like looking
into heaven over a wall she can not pass
Kingsley Durham sees them. and his face
brighten He sends them greeting in
glance Mary Is AL a-futter with excite
ment, but Alace il calm, at east outylrd.f
II he couli only see into her heart
Kingsley Dunham's voice a. he reais from
tho sacred volume fill her soul with mn,ic.
When be begins 20 preach it seem, IS il h
must be preaching for her aloha He tells
them that the heart that has sinnei must
make atonement by confession Of its s;as
and by turning away from the pas Has
she not sinnedl she asks herself. The Oh
clock knows, and she knows, ani-Goi
In hat 1af- tor ,x L
her soul, and the weight of it viii hold her
soul down forever. With that guilty act
unconfessed and unforgiven how can ste
ever he at peace' She has made up her
mind long before the sermon is over rs 90
what course she will take Sac will coafes.
what she has done She feel, as ii the
shame of confession will kill her but she
will get rid of her secret.
Tbs services are through Il last. So sea
Kingsley Durham coming towards them.
Her face Is as pale rs 1t will he when She i
dead. Her heart almost stands still for n
moment, teen beats faster t'.an ever
before. She meets him before he reaches
their pew. She is aware that lis hand is
reached out TO her. and that his face IS
radiant with pleasure But she does not
touch the hand he offers.
Il y
that letter. she says. in a low, swift voice.
II hid it in the oh clock. Its there now.
Forgive me, If you can" Then before he
can speak or stop her size turns and Goe,
hurriedly down the aisle past the wondering
Mary, who has seen all that has ts.ksn place,
but comprehends nothing of what it means.
When Mary reaches her Lcule she soe-
directly 10 Aiices room
sWhaf ka matter fa-nIvhff' ela l5g-
gins, but Alice stops her.
Il am glad you came here size says. y
should have come 10 You, if YOU had not, &c
make confession Of II wrong dill you three
Year, ago You Will hat. lie, | supoJSe.
when you hear it. and | deserve it kept
back letter that Kingsley D1nban left 1T
you felt sure that he asked you in It u
be his wifs ani-and Il could not give 1t l.
you as had promised t. ! hii IL in tha
Old clock o, can not look at youi | want
you 10 80 away and leave me to my shame
and iisyrac Tomorrow | VIII 20 home.
can never lock in your face or hi again
And Alice Crawford drops her face IN her
hands and sobs over the humiliation she
has brought upon herself.
"You must have been mistaken in think
ing he asked me 70 be his wife, Mary says
Il was engaged to ,ieorge at that time. AMI
Kingsley Durham knew IL Let me go AMI
find the letter. That will explain il all.
She comes back presently with an excited
face
20. Alice. read thatT she cries. and puts
tho letter in her cousin hsnis
And Alics reals:
ny DE- Az FRIEND MARY: / aIl a foolish.
cowArdly man I know II. But drawer
mon have been towards before woman's
eyes love your COUSIN Alica. but / fear
70 tell her She puzzles me | some
times think >he cares for ME Then her
vr..A -ha I N l.. hall