The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-02

otto nature must have made itself mani
fest many pages back. She entered the
room and closed the door softly. She
sat down Mt the leathcr-covered table,
and leaning her head on her hands. look
ed anything but n prosperous, healthy,
comfortable young woman.
Presently she glanced sicalthily around
her. and from the bosom uf her dress
drew out u Photograph Of - very haud-
some, distinguished looking man. MIR.
Hope had given It Ia her. ut her request
some days before. II was To 20 into her
celebrlty-album, she told him. Laying
Il on the table between hcrclbuws. Miss
Rivers gazcd ut II long and earnestly,
until her foolish eyes became 80 misty
with tears that she could see il no long
er. One by one these tears bcguiiulhli.
and soon came 81 fast that she gave IN
altOgether-fOrgOt where she was-iOI.
got all risk of interruption. and laying
her head on the table, presented the
very picture Of woe.
Her bewailings and bcwccpings were
at their greatest height. when the door
was suddenly thrown open and Mr..
Hope stood before her! She sprung To
her feet, and IN her agitation brushed
the photograph To the ground. Even in
her dire confusion. the prayer that ii
ed itself. But she dared not look to see;
she had to face the intruder us best she
could. Yet lac seemed for the moment
taken even more aback than Miss
Rivers. lie stammcrpd out something
about n shaft broken three miles from
home-impOssibllity of catching train
come back to write kilograms, etc.
Then he looked ON the ground. and what
he saw there was enough to make him
glance wonderingly ut the shamefaced
girl who stood before him with wet
lashes and glowing cheeks.
Miss Rivers-llcritage!" he said, tell
me what this means"
She made no reply. but endeavOred to
pass him. lie blocked the way, and by
the exercise of some force, took both
her hands in his. As they stood there,
she could see on the ground between
them that unlucky photograph lying
face upward.
LET me go, Mr.. Hope" she said. at
is unkind to keep me against my will"
Her appeal was vain. His strong
hands held her yet more firmly. lie
seemed to be waiting until she chose to
look up and meet his eyes But that
would never have been-not if they had
stood there till the present moment.
At last he spoke; hisvoice was almost
grave:
Heritage, am very proud. | have
always vowed | would ask no woman
twice to be my wife; but | will ask you
once more If you love me-
Miss Rivers only bent her head lower
and lower.
Answer me, IIeritagel" he said, in a
changed, passionate voice. "My darling,
answer me, and this time truthfullyl"
1t was no use. Had she wished to do
so, she could fight no longer. She ven
tured to raise her eyes little, and said,
so timidly, so differently from her usual
way of speaking:
"lf | thought you would only forgive
me, would try and show you what
cannot, will not tell you-hOw much |
love YOU"
She was very, very humble in her
new-found happiness.
Then Vincent Hope looscncd her
hands little,and- Well these things
only happen once in the life of n true
woman, and she should neither write
nor speak about them. But when
Charlie LEIGHTON came 10 look for the
telegram, not even written, nor, in the
| proposed form, to he written, Vincent
Hope and Heritage Rivers were Won
derlng, as every orthodox pair of lovers
should wonder, why they were chosen
out to be made the two very happiest
| people i'll the whole world.
So this was how | worked out my re-
venge.
1t was only after we were married
that | vcntured To tell my husband that
| | had actually laid myself out to win his
love-and why. when won, had reject
ed it. My confession, which was really
seriously made, being complete he look
ed at me with mock severity.
Heritage" he said. had | known
this before, might, even at the
eleventh hour, have thought better of
the step ! was taking in putting my flu
ture in the hands of such vindictiye
! young woman"
And perhaps, sweet sir" answered,
FOR the very fear of that, have defer
red my eXplanat on until now"