Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-12-09
AN ANONYMOUS LETTER.
BY MRS. Il. BURKE COLLINS,

miss D1NsMoRE, If you would
know where Mr.. Sydney Rutherford
spends as evenings whom not with you,
go down to the beach under the Three
Oaks tonight at sunset, and think you
will alter your opinion of that gentle
mans PROJECTIONS
"a FRIEND"
IL was a cruel unprincipled stab in the
dark, aud IL cut TO my very heart like a
sharp, keen knife. An anonymous letter,
it was true; bat l could not toss it into
the fire as soon as read, and forget it in
quiet scorn, although this had always
been my way of looking at such masked
batteries.
That was my way-in theory you see.
But there was strange fascination i'll
this letter, | read it, and reread it, I'M
til my heareached madly.
What! doubt Sydney Rutherford, whom
| had known so long and To whom | had
been betrothed for the last six months:
IL seemed treasOnl Yet, l could not
forget that for some time he had seemed
absent minded and distract; and last
evening when he left me he had seemed
anxious TO get away. l had felt intutive-
ly that something was wrong; and here
right at this particular juucture, this an
onymous letter came like confirmation
of my worst fears.
There was the sound of n light foot
fall in the hall outside the door of the
cherry sitting room, where | was seated
at the open window. A window through
which | could catch glimpse of the blue
sea beyond for we lived at Sea View
just the dearest old home Imaginable.
l glanced up with a start, and thrust
the open letter into my pocket, just as
the door swing open and Cousin Clauce
came to my side.
The beauty of the family was Clarice;
sparkling brunette beauty, who had
made her home with us for the past
year.
She tloated gracefully TO my side; a
petite figure in mourning dress of white
lawn, deliberately garnitured with rich
lace, a red rose in her soft black hair.
"Why, turning TO me with
start of dismay "Whnt is the matter?
You look rs if ycu had lost your best
friend. Oh, | know with a childish
gesture, clapping her tiny white hands
together gracefully you have been
quarreling with MIR, Rutherford, Aloyer's
quarrel, and its sure to be made up
again.
And she sank lightly into the easiest
chair that the room contained, gazing mp
into her face with wide-opeu, childish
Drown eyes. How pretty she was | re-
membercd, with an odd paug, that
sydney had said only few days before.
How very pretty your cousin is, Hope,
lear. SO childlike and unaffected What
tpity that sorrow must needs come to
ner!"
Then he had caught my surprised
glance and had started guilty, coloring a
little and adverting his eyes
What did IL mem this strange and
seemingly uucaled-for interest in my
cousin Clarice Haight? ! remembered 1t
at that moment and then | heard her
say:
II don't like him, Hope darling, that
big handsome lover of yours, There, dc
not annlhilate me quite! detest hun
rs growing unnecessarily excited ii
quite hate him SO thertl"
She looked strangely excited and eager
her great dark eyes dllatcd, her tact
flushed like the heart of June rose; hen
bits of hands like white velvet wer,
chnched in defiance.
l laughed aloud; though THE under
side of my laugh was tears
'Why. Clarice, chudw | cried. zone
would think that Mir Rutherford was an
ogre or something fughtful, Pray. VIII,
do You dislike him thus. my choice! W,
had thought that when when are
married it would be SO pleasant TO hay,
you with us for part of the time, a
least"
Never! Ia die frstr
She started 20 her feet and rushct
from the room like q Wild creature. Wha
did IL meaug
Poor girl' | said softly to myself
She is 50 troubled about her father tina