The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-08-20

your face, my dearest, still should |
belong always to you and never to any
other" he had said.
And she had believed him she had
faith in his truth and so she would
have always to the end That perfect
trust had soothed the pang, and calm
ed the trembling heart, and in brief
moment Min was herself again.
81 never doubted that you and Mr..
Grosvenor we're the best of friends,
Julie she said at length, with man
ner gently noncommittal.
ave were great deal to each
other" Julia declared, with an express
ion intended to imply much more than
the declaration itself. 81 think of him
constantly, though have never liked
to speak of him to you'll thought ysu
might be sensitive about that foolish
summer Irritation, you know | sup
pose you will scarcely care to see him.
now he has returned from Europe ?"
Again Min started the crimson
flame again kindled in her cheeks, and
her lips quivered with the eager ques.
ton she was too proud to utter.
"He is likely to call in few days"
her tormentor pursued with another
furtively searching glance at her proud,
inscruitable face, although of course
you are not obliged to see hun unless
you wish. Bu. dare say he will
scarcely REMINDER you-Cyril has
such happy knack of forgetting the
partners Of his fiirtations follies ! He
has a generous nature, though, in spite
of his little faults if he had only come
back sooner we might not have been
compelled to sell our hondsome house /;
as it is l suppose when we are once
married he will help settle all poor
papa's financial difficulties" she con-
cluded as if she had finally communi-
Gated everything necessary to pleas
ant understanding of the situation and
would prefer to dismiss the subject.
And at the moment they arrived at
the door of the new residence-a house
scarcely less elegant than the hand
some old residence in the more fash
ionable avenue few blocks away.
''There is something left behind af-
ter all. Min was there ever any
thing so careless ?" Julia exclaimed
as she abruptly stopped at the top of
the steps 81 left my bunch of keys
the keys of my writing desk and bu-
reaus-on the mautel in my old room !!
You must 60 back INSTANTLY am
quite too much fatigued myself But
then you wont mind, Min-you will
have another chance to look for your
invaluable thimble, you know.
Minerva turned back without demur
to be commanded and to obey had
been her lot for all the weary years
which she had spent beneath the shell
tering roof of her none too benefcient
relatives
"And may find my keepsake thin.
BILE after all, she thought as she walked
back through the soft, clear sunshine,
and again ascended the steps of the
old familiar house and so at length
entered the chamber designated. 81
was using it last in this very room,
and it may have dropped in some crew
ice or other.
She had secured the bunch of keys
from the mantel, and just then she es-
pied a glitter of something amid a pile
of fragmentary papers which had been
deposited in the CRATE.
The glitter was that of the missed
souvenir indeed, and, as she delighted
ly seized it, she glanced to draw forth
something else-a sealed envelope in.
scribed with her owr name !
The penmanship was that of Cyril
Grosvenor, and letter was within the
envelope, which was quite intact.
The girl trembled from head 20 feet,
and her face became white as death
Instantly she OWNED what had been
the sorrowful mystery which had sun
dered her from her dear lover and
shadowed their perfect love.
"Julia hints you are but trifiing with
me-" she read as she unfolded the let
ter, which shook and rustled in hel
startled grasp-''that there is prior
attachment which precludes the posi-
bility of your caring eal nestly for me
am incredulous cannot believe my
love was only summer pastime fol
you ! And yet, my darling, / should
| like you to send me some sweet assur
ance to dispel the doubts which a
times beset me. "The Prince awaits
his ladys CALL" but he cannot com'
again, unbidden, to be the target o
your merry scorn / await one swee
assuring word before | leave foreve
the"
She could read no further every
thing was blur before her sight al
most unconsciously she thrust the lette
within her bosom and turned away.
She felt chilled and blinded as sh
family descended the stairs and agail
into the street.
A huge furniture van at the instan
had cashed against the curb /; som
black, projecting object loomed per
ilously close to her dropping head bu
she saw nothing neither did she hea
sharp warning, shouted too late.
, For Just then the black object tor
pied from the can and crushed dow
, against her she felt thrust and
, shock, and then all was blank obliy
, ion.
| When she regained her senses sh
was lying upon an improvised couch G
, Persian rugs in the dismantled draw
: ing room, and solitary watcher wa
kneeling by her side, one arm tenderl
r pilowing her head, one anxious han
, holding some reviving draught to he
, lips.
Her eyes Enclosed wonderingly, an
. closed again dreamily as she behel
the face so near her own.
e Surely she must be dreaming on
a of the distorted, chaotic dreams whic
o always haunted her sluinbers now
2 There had been no intercepted lett,
v discovered among the litter of Il
e CRATE Julia was harsh and haught
:, but not wicked ! He could not |
Il Cyril his could not be the arm PILLOW
y ing her bewildered head, his could NJ
G be the face so warm and tender clo
to her own.