Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-09-28

iie Coulu Scafceiy trust Himself 10
speak. But he controlled his anger
by mighty effort, and said calmly
''Let the past rest-it is gone for
ever. | wish to remember only that
am your husbands friend"
1t cost a great deal to speak these
words, for Madge had treated him
very badly in days gone by. They
had been engaged, and she had Tilted
him in finding that his prospects were
less bright than people had led her
10 imagine. II had been secret en-
| gagement, and he had never told the
wrong she had done.
The worst of it was that he loved
her still, although he felt that she
was unworthy of his love. Weak
and tickle as she had been, he could
not help the memory of the sweet
past coming back to him when he
looked on her beautiful face.
II "Then you will keep my secret?"
she said anxiously; "George has
such strict ideas. He would be an
cry if he knew I had been engaged
to you. | don't think he would ever
forgive me-.
''You can trust my word, l hope,
returned Wilf1ed, coldly-all the
more coldly because of the love he
could not subdue.
And then Ire held up his hand
warningly, for he could hear voices
in the hall, and in another moment
George entered the room in company
with young lady whom LIE Roy had
never seen before, for she was at
school in Germany when he had first
known Madge.
George introduced her informally
to LIE Roy as his sister-in-law, and
then left her to entertain his friend,
while he took his wife out of the
room to break the sad news of his
departure for Egypt.
She cried little, for although she
did not love her husband very much,
he had been very kind to her when
her fathers failure and death educ
ed her and her sister to poverty, and
had given them both home by MAX
ing her his wife.
But for that, she reflected with a
shudder, they would have had to go
out into the world and work for Il
living. BERTHE would not have mind
ed it so much, but Madge had recoil-
ed from the prospect of working for
her daily bread with horror.
They went back to the drawing
room after a time and Madge sat
down at the piano at her husband s
request, and played for them but
she could not sing not while Wilfred
was in the ROOM She had liked him
better than she liked George, altho'
her husband was better looking than
his friend, and the old fascination
was creeping over her.
If she had been wise woman she
would have objected to be left under
Wilfred's guardianship; but unfortu.
nately she was very foolish one.
and it seemrd to her very pleasant
arrangement.
cit will be so nice to have friend
to look after us while George is
away" she said. "Will it not, Ber
tie?'
VERY returned BERTHE, lathel
dryly.
Girl as she was, she thought L,
Roy altogether too young and hand
some for the responsibility he hat
undertaken.
Bertie was very sweet and girlish
u with soft blue eyes, and closel,
; cropped head that gave her quite
childlike appearance. Not so brill
: iantly handsome, as her sister, per
hapS. but nevertheless a very prett,
: girl.
When George was on his way t.
Egypt, LIE Roy called daily at the cot
tage, often staying to partake of af
ternoon tea with the two sisters, VIII
y always gave him warm welcome.
''He is very handsome" said Bert
- lie, as she watched HIM ride dow
/" street on his brown mare, after spend
; ing the afternoon with them.
Something in the tone of her vote
F" and the way she looked after Wilfre'
annoyed Madge, who had never nc
. ticed how handsome her sister wa
. getting until that moment.
II eyes," she said, he is handsome
} poor fellow! p And she uttered thes
9 last words with sigh.
g "Why poor fellow?' 2" asked Bert
u lie, quickly, turning to look at he
sister.
. because he will never marry"
= ''How do you know that?' aske
, Bertle, quickly. 'sHas he told yo
y sop
L ''No; but l happen to know H
loved some one long ago, and he wi
g never forget her,
l. "What can you know of Wilfre
e LIE Roy?" incredulously. "We hav
L only known him a few weeks"
81 knew him before father died,
a said Madge, playing with her ring
'e to avoid meeting her sisters stead
L gaze.
a land you let George thinklyo
b had never met before said BERTHE
is slowly. .'You never loved him. /
( you had loved him you would hav
II been true in spite of his poverty"