The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-01

Hester. SdIOi, II SIlSN CS He to the
 heart to see you SO downcast and woebe-
 gone. I've waited and watched for you
 50 Do ee tell me whether aught is
 amiss with you"
 Don't fret about me. Will, she made
 answer; I'm only bit tired-I shall
 be all right directly which I could
 scarcely believe, so wan and changed
 she was; and, say Will, make haste
 with that fire and come out into the
 lane l want to talk to you
 After that, 1t wasn't more than three
 m.nutes before the fire was blazing and
 was out with Hester in the pale 0cto-
 Der sunshine that struggled through the
 hslfStripped trees 1 believe that for
 those three minutes 1 had been fool
 enough to think she had forgotten Mir
 Arthur, and been plning for me as
 knew full well he had forgotten her
 Her first words though, brought back to
 me a righttul sense of things as splash
 of cold water on your face wakes you
 ont of warm sleep.
 What about Mir. Arthur Will2 she
 asked quite plain. without any beating
 round the bush.
 What about Mir Arthur? What does Mr Arthur matter to you?' | spoke like that because her question. coming SO straight, took me a bit back II matters to me good deal Tell ne fl Mr. Arthur iS still about tarchrs- ter2
 He is
 Can't you tell me aught about him?' could tell you plenty if choose. said
 Then why on earth don't you, when you can see now long to hear about him?
 II was cruel of me, 1 know. but was wrought up to anger. and if any one planes me, let them think how-atter
 my long weary waiting for a sight of her her indifference to me and hrranXiety after him stung me. Says We'll he hasn't trettcd after you if you have after him How do you know that2 It aint very hard to ste>, seeing that he goes d courtin fine handsome young lady, and he looks So well and happy that every one can see his ioh agrees with him
 It isn't true, she said her face
 growing winter and whiter and then flushing up to her hair You re tell
 ing me lies to plague me. but il will do you no good
 Well. you can believe me or not as you choose; I'm not lying Any one can tell you that MT Arthur has been after Miss Baird this three months and Dr. Baird yoachman told me il, they We're to be married about Christmas time
 I needn't havr brought il out ,o plump, and as soon d. l had l felt nor tal sorry. for saw such a look on her face as had never seen Oh womans face before My heart went out in pity for her great sorrow. which l could un- derstand and measure in part hy my own
 Hester. said. in my longing to comfort her, now that her heart wound had been brought to her bv my hand, is Mir. Arthur playing fast and loose with any promise he has made to y"uH Did he give you his word before he made bye to Miss Baird-whcn yoh used to meet him up in Calder Rough2 Tell me, Hester; I'll see you righted What S il to you whether We met or iidnt meet? she cried in passion. a~ if she must vent her misery on some one. Who are you that should tell you his secrets? What right have you to talk about bringing him to book have this much right said quite blunt-lke, that l love you deal more than he eyer did, and that, whilr he has forgotten that ha amused himself with you, have had you in my mind every minute. Don't break your heart after him, Hester; he's no good for the likes oi you You mn~t put him out of yoUr head
 Put him out of my head and out of my heart, and taketo you instead she said, with a hard, bitter laugh quite un- like her old sauey way IL would be a poor exchange. Will Besides it all very fine to talk like that but how do you set about forgetting any one? Just tell me that which couldn't. Doe>n trying to forget keep you full of relnem- hrance, like trying to go to sleep keep, you broad awake? Do you think have 10 try to think about him? Why could no more put him out of my thoughts than I could take a flower and leave its scent or than l could lift the shadows out of yon river and leave the water blank. You don't understand "Yes-yes, do l said under stand it all by what l feel for Viii sine broke ilr anl saw tha; she wasn listening. and that nothing could say to her about myself would catch her attention, l want you to do something for me l wonder if you will say yes or no
 "Ill say yes fits in my power said, for saw clearly that she held me of no account exce)t i'll so far a> could serve her.
 It's message she said " l meant to have made .Iacky do it; but he ain't always to be trusted to go quick and 10 keep his own counsel. SO, as soon as saw you were about thought I'd ask s you to do it.
 As she spoke. she drew letter out of the breast of her dress It was in a
 small, dirty envelope and was addressed in rather large. untidy handwriting l partly saw and partly guessed that II was