The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-07-03

You lolieve in the mortality Of the soul,
Ambrose said, How do you reconcile
that with your other opinions"
"On no logical grounds" h. answered.
briefly, and changed the subject
have said he h ,d tender heart; that is
to say little. H. had capacity for pro-
found and passionate love in the course
Of our ram les we made the acquaintance
an ordinary young mans ad eAture--of a
farmer, daugh or, young girl who not
with ut intention, "a, ha altcrward reason
to believe, strongly attracted us both. /
was in love IL not for the first time in my
life, rs much as | had ever been before
hut Lucy Smiles was not a girl could have
made my wife, and must do myself the
ustice to say that, recogni. ing the fact
early in our acquaintance, broke OF, with
som resolution, even the snmblance OF a
Il tirt ,tion With Malet it was different;
he fell deeply and passionately in love with
the girl I he Ii ference III station and o iu-
cation seemed not 10 Acct him: it was i'm
possible, indeed, tlat an intellect such as his
| could ever look for or cal ect the sympathy
that spring, from equal minds, and on the
ons occasion on which he spoke TO me on tie
sub eft for reserve had sprung up between
us n tue matter-l infer ed, though he did
not stat, it in so many words, that he hoped
TO make Iuy his wife imme lately on
leaving O,tord Shortly aIterward, the
girl d.appea 81 from her fathers home.
! Certain cir. umStances threw suspicion ON
Ma,ct nothing was, nothing ouli 10 proved
! against linn but, To tell the story BREEZY, l
! thought had reason to believe the worst,
| and be level it, All my inciplent love
! for the girl herself blazed up in flame of
| passion and jealousy, and what held 10 De
righteous Indignation at the story Of her
! disappearan and OF her parents despair
| Malet said very little; he gave mo his word
! that lie had had nothing to do with the mat
| ter. h. saw that did not believe him, and he
! said no more. ], on my side, broke with
! him. He had been my best friend; on
more than ono occasion he ha 'erved me
! in a way that should have won my indy
! ing gratitude But what gratitude survives
a sense OF wrong! AM, inleed, held my
sell not ungrateful, but Just.
| What storm of memories, old affection,
remolse, swept over me matters little now,
! Whore were d ubts and past suspicionsi
AlaS, that, living or dying clearness of
vision should come to enlighten us at the
supreme moment only, | turned from the
window to the docto
"Can see him. | said; "he was the best
| friend had in the world
Certainly you an see him, he an 'wered
| 81 re .oi indeed that you or any one be-
! longing TO him ,hould be here | will take
! you to him at once He has little fever,
| but is otherwise quite quiet; no ute suiler-
| ing, happily Nothing can harm him now"
| He led the way as he spoke, up tight
| af or flight o, the shallow hotel stairs, and
| down a ions passage to remote and silent
| part Of the house. At the end OF the pas
sage door stood a jar The doctor paused
| before we reached it, you will no doubt
| wish t. remain with your frien ~ he said
"Undoubtedly,' answer. d,
He gave me one or two brief direct ns
| then, signing to me to wait for IA moment
opened the door and went III.
He was alone. he lay with closed eyes
his hands spreal out on the tounterpane,
his head supported by pillows The night
wa, warm, and though the little easement
stood wide open, be emed oppressed by the
heat, and to breathe with din ulty. lie
was not changed in ea"ly youth even his
features hal been too marked to alter read
! lily only the lines with which | had been
familiar had ieepened, and the paiior of
mortal sickness ovelspread his counienance
He opened his eyes as the doctors step
| approached his bedside
What time is it I" he said fetbly.
about halfpast Q, SAID the doctor. He
| laid his hand on his patients wrist as he
81 okc, and sood for moment noting the
pulse There is a friend of yours here
| he said then, "who wants to SEQ you
have brought him up"
| His forehead and mouth contracted pain
| fully for moment "A friend of mnef
he said But have no friends.
came forward. His glance fell upon me
and was sud lcpiy Illuminated. frank "
| he cried.
| He held out both hands; Igrasped them in
mine For long time we remain d mo
| tiCnless ! could not speak, in what words
could address him after my long silence
! Aud | saw that he was dying.
His hold relaxed at last The doctor hai
silently disappeared and we were one. II
was lie who spoke first You never be-
lieyed me about Lucy, Frank he said, look.
! ing at ne.
! Don ';cat OF it, cried. Il know that
was wrong, utterly wrong want to tell
you that Never mind the rest
"On the contrary / mind it very much
] u
| the time who was at tn bottom Of Lucy,
disappearance but could never bring it
| home to him. ! could never come upon a
! trace of her until few weeks ago, VIII II
| saw her by chance in Paris His voice
| sank aud he failed lite with weakness,
! but in a II oment he rallied and went on
SHE was living there with some French
man-aeyer mind his nane | hunted her
up and tried TO persuade her to 60 hone to
her parents. lie resented my interference;
we fought-and here | am"
1t was that" cried, confounded; 1T was
on account Of Lucy"
Poor child, poor girl!' h, murmured,
closing his eyes
stood speerhless for while For the
first tine realized Malet's part i'll the duel
of which the doctor had spoken. In face Of
his mortal maady, had forgotten for the
moment that ma!ady's cause.
Well no said at last, as did not speak.
Good hea, ems, Ambrose | slid, you
are the last man, yes, the last man. III the
world should have thought would fight ii
| duel
He smil little why not'' he said
| II had no intention OF killing the poor
wretch who chai,nged M; he was SAT
nough from me
But the sin of it began.
H. 6 = 81 II, II H. A