The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-02-04

| said anxiously; George has such strict
ideas. He would be angry If he knew
had been engaged to you. / don think
he would ever forgive me-"
You can trust my word. hope"
returned Wilfred. coldly-all the more
! coldly because of the love he could not
| subduc.
And then he held up his hand warm
ingly. for he could hear voices IN the
hal, and in another moment George en-
tered the room in company with a young
lady whom lie Roy had never seen
before, for she had been at school in
Germany when he had first known
Madge.
George introduced her informally to
lie Roy as his sister-in-law, and then
left her to entertain his friend, while he
took his wife out of the room to break
the sad news Of his speedy departure for
Egypt.
She cried little, for although she
did not love her husband very much, he
had been kind to her when her fathers
| failure and death reduced her and her
sister to poverty, and had given them
both home by making her his wife.
| But for that, she reflected with a
shudder, they would have had to go
out into the world and work for q
living. Berthe would not have minded
it 50 much, but Madge had recoiled
from the prospect of working for her
daily bread with horror.
| They went back to the drawing
room after time, and Madge sat down
ut the piano at her husbands request,
and played for them: but she could not
>.ng-not while Wllfred was in the
room. She had liked him better than
she liked George, although her husband
was better looking than his friend,
| and the old fascination was creeping
over her.
If she was wise woman she would
have objected to he left under Wilfred s
guardianship; but unfortunately she
was very foolish one, and it seemed
to her very pleasant arrangement.
1T will be SO nice for US to have a
friend to look after us while George is
away" she said. .WiIl it not, Bertie?"
Very" returned BERTHE. rather dry
y.
Girl as she was she thor ght lie Roy
altogether too Young and handsome
for the responsibility he had under
taken.
BERTHE was very sweet and girlish,
with soft blue eyes and closely
cropped head that gave her quite q
childish appearance. Not 50 brilliantly
handsome as her sister perhaps, but
nevertheless a very pretty girl.
/ When George was on his way to
Egypt, LIE Roy called daily at the cot
tage, often staying to partake of after
noon tea with the two sisters, who al
ways gave him warm welcome.
He is very handsome" said BERTHE,
as she watched him driving down the
street on his brown mare, after spend
ing the afternoon with them.
Sometime in the tone of her voice
and the way she looked after Wilfred
annoyed Madge, who had never noticed
how pretty her sister was getting till
that moment.
..Ycs," she said, .'he is handsome,
poor fellow!'' And as she uttered these
last words Madge heaved sigh.
-..Why poor fellow?' asked BERTHE,
/ quickly, turning to look at her sister.
because he will never marry
''How do you know that?" asked
BERTHE, coloring. HAS he told you SO?
mo; but l happen to know. He
loved some one long ago, and he will
never forget her.
'.What can you know of Wilfred LIE
Roy?' increduously. I'VE have only
known him few weeks
| IL knew him before father died, -
said Madge, playing with her rings to
avoid meeting her sisters steady gaze.
''And you let George think you had
never met before said BERTHE, slowly.
You never loved him. If you had
loved him you would have been true in
spite Of his poverty
Months passed on, and, on taking
the Times one morning, Wilfred came
upon his friends name in the list of the
slain. 1t was q terrible blow for him,
as he had loved George with quite a
brothcrly affection.
Madge went into hy.s .cs when she
heard the news, but soc ! Gained down,
showing admirable resignation to her
loss. BERTHE, indeed, seemed to feel it
the most.
lie Roy came as usual to the cottage,
and one day when he and Madge were
alone rather abruptly alluded to the
past.
He cant be going to propose al
ready thought the pretty widow, and
deciding in her own mind to put him
off for at least twelvemonth.
..Madge," said Wilfred, "when /
came here and found you the wife of
my friend, thought l should go mad. !"
Madge muttered something about it
being too soon to ia K of such things,
but he did not appear to notice her.
'.Ycs." he went on, Il loved you
still. Forgive me. 1t was very wrong,
and couldn't help it. And now"
He paused for a moment, and Madge
colored holly, forgetting her recent be-
reavement, and knowing only that the
man she loved was metaphorically at
her feet.
''And now?" she said, softly lifting
her eyes to his face.
.'And now" he returned in an agitat-
ed voice, .'now l love-your sister. =
Mrs. Enfcld's complexion never
looked more lovely-her cheeks were
like roses; but her eyes! well, they had
rather an angry sparkle, and her lips
were slightly compressed.
II am glad, very glad indeed" she
said. with emphasis. If were Ber-
tic. should not Gre for a mans second
love; but, Of course, everybody to his
taste.''
And with this parting taunt she
walked out of the room just as BERTHE
enlered it. The girl could not under
stand the meaning of the angry look
her sister gave her.
She did understand it, though, q
moment later, when Wilfred caught
her in his arms and told her of his love.
After all, it was fortunate for all par
ties concerned that affairs had taken
this turn, for a short time later on it
was found that George Enfield's name
should have been among the missing"
| q I'd not the killed.
Madge, to do her justice, was genu-
inely glad when she heard that her hus-
band had turned up, safe and sound,
| and welcomed him as warmly as il she