Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-12-24
the day before, and released her from

'If any good fortune comes to me, !"
he concluded; "you shall hear of it. II
l am silent, it is because my life is
wrapped in silence and shadow. Bless
you, darling, for the light you have
cast upon it. IL will be like looking
back to Heaven. Idare not see you
again-I tested my strength to its full
extent yesterday. God grant that
some better man may win you; to love
you better is not within his power.
Nor must you think that blame you
that you shrank from sharing the new
life upon which | enter. Flowers can
not live without sunlight. Even as /
spoke / knew your answer; l only
wanted to be sure that / made no
mistake i'll interpreting the best course
for your happiness.
And then, with few more passion
ate, loving words OF farewell, the let
ter closed.
Two years passed. and the little
world which had known Chester Thor
ley so well knew him no more. He
had entirely disappeared. 1t was as
though the sea had opened and swal-
lowed him up.
Marion Willoughby was Marion
Willoughby still. If she suffered she
madeno sign; but those who had seen
the one sparkling stone, which had
been the pledge OF her engagement to
Chester Thorley, noticed that she
wore it still, and others, yet more mar
row watchers, observed that always,
when she entered crowded room, she
would take hasty glance around as
though expectingto see some one not
there.
She was yet but twenty-five, belle
of his absence she went west to spend
several weeks with her aunt.
81 cannot spare YOU" her father
had said when the invitation came.
But she, going close to him, and lay
ing her head for moment on his
breast, said
81 think, papa, it would be BEST"
They We're simple words, but he in
terpreted Alright The old wound
would not cease it's bleeding. She
wanted TO go amid new scenes, so he
only kissed her and babe her to re-
member that the old father awaited
her return.
4
"You have not been through the
steel works." some one said to her one
day. at is really most interesting
sight. Will you Join IA party, If we
make up one to visit them, Miss Will
oughbyy"
with pleasure, she answered,
lightly.
And her aunt, charmed with the sue
cess OF her beautiful niece, smiled at
Clay Clayton's numerous devices to
ensnare Marion's society.
He was a great parti of the place.
She had heard something of some
early disappointment in Marion's life.
1t would be splendid triumph thus
to oblterate it, and already she felt
quite sure that the fiat lay in the girls
own hands.
The morning appointed for the ex-
petition dawned beautiful and bright.
They seemed, indeed, like drones, in
truding upon some busy hive of work
ers, as they entered the great building
and looked about them. Department
after department they visited, watch.
ing With interest the delicate machin-
cry and its wonderful working.
Marion's cheeks flushed with IN
terest, and Clay Clayton, noting,
thought he had never seen her look so
beautiful
To-day he determined he must
speak, when suddenly he heard a little
cry, and, CHANGING up saw her standing
quite apart from the group, her eyes
ablaze, her lips quivering.
At little distance from her, adjust
ing some piece Of machinery, was a
men in working blouse. Her cry al
so attracted him and he looked up.
Their eyes met. His face grew death
ly pale, but he gave no other sign OF
recognition. She welt straight to-
ward him; oblivious of all, with hand
outstretched.
Chester" she said, in n voice scarce
louder than a whisper, AT last"'
He bowed low i'll response, and took
no notice of her hand. but the old
dauntless pride was in the uplifted
head and fearless glance.
"Did you know that | was here?''
she questioned
No" he replied, 81 am no longer
in your world"
"You will come to see me?"
al cannot"
Here his voice broke little.
"Mr. Clayton" she said, "let me
present my friend, Mr.. Thorley."
Spite OF the innate breeding of the
man, some of the instructive surprise
at hearing a steel-worker addressed by
Miss Willoughby as friend, made
itself apparent in the manner he yet
strove to conceal.
Then the party passed on. Hewo
dered, however, why Marion fingered
a moment in the office to address the
superintendent some questions as they
came out into the air. He had meant
too, to ask her on the way home the
question, which all the day and for
many days, had been trembling on his
| lips, but there was new expression
in her eyes and mouth, which instant
ly told him that this was not the
time to plead his cause.
Had that fellow inside, who bowed
so like o gentleman, been otherwise
than working man he might hav,
suspected him as in some way respon
sible. 1t was quite singular enough
as it was that Miss Willoughby should
have addressed him as a friend
Doubtless some man who had seer
better days, and for whom she felt
womaanly pity.
"Can see Mr.. Thorley?"
The mistress of the humble little cot
tage in one of Chicagos suburbs look
ed up amazed at the beautiful younl
lady who asked the question.
Indeed, suppose you may. He,
| gone up to his room, where he spend.