Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-22

teri"
eyes" l answered, puzzled as to how
he could know and what it could matter
TO him, very seldom had letter; but
it did happen that had had one that
morning from Lucy Berdell, who had gone
to school.
"Well, 1 must tell you-that letter was
a forgery"
"What nonsense!" 1 cried. "It was
nothing Of the sort! As if anybody would
forge that sort Of a letter."
81 assure you did not write it!" he
said earnestly, 81 am sorry; but, after all,
it falls most heavily upon me, doesn't it,
with q little pretense at a laugh; then,
as If recollec,ng himself, he added, "Still
1 prefer naturally that you should know
that a mistake has been made, and that l
had not the faIntest intention or inclina.
ton to write you such letter"
"But who on earth don't under.
stand" stammered.
81 am sorry to disappoint- mo-
mean, to let you know, he went on hur-
ledly. perhaps L should have been ST.
lent, and made you present Of the tri.
umph, such as it was. meant to write
and explain. ! came in person only on
sudden thought at the last moment; for l
ianced could doit better-more kindly
il | saw you. Not that you had any such
scruples in your treatment Of me, " he said
bitterly. "You certainly might have
done even the most ungracious thing in
the world more graciously."
81 haven't the least idea Of what you
are talking about" 1 interposed i'm
patiently when he gave me chance,
lie stared at Inc for some moments, and
then a light seemed to dawn upon him.
"Why, that must be forgery" he OK.
claimed. 500 you mean to say that you
did not write letter received yesterday
evening""
ter; | am not so vain, l hope, as to think
1t possible for girl to be ready to mary
me after four days Of acquaintance, any
more than it would be possible for me to
think Of asking her. But let me suggest
that on futute occasions you should let them
down gently, poor fellows
There was nothing more to ssy, of
course. Ishook hands aud wished him
goodbye as fripdIy as if he had offered me
a deadly insult; bnt, when he had gone,
| nearly cried my eyes out, After all, he
had been very kind, and had not by one
word expressed any sorrow for the wound
| had given him; and knew that he was
gone out Of my lie Tor ever, and that the
world was cold and blank as it had never
been before. Worse still, l knew had
only myself to thank for it. Ia my deep
repentance | almost forgot Heen's share
in the mischief, while thought of the ten
derness that had come into his voice and
OF his stern face when he said goodbye.
The months rolled on. the season passed
and Lady Tredenuick took Helen on a
round Of visits heard nothing more OF
K,uuek; the house wa, titled for Christ.
mas, but he was 40, among the guests.
left oh dreaming about courts and
greatness, An through my sweet lonely
summer, all through the golden autumn
aud the dark winter. | dreamed new
ireams-er, sweeter dreams-of what
might have been, but enjoyed them none
The less because they were sad. They
were painted for me in the Christmas fires
-dreams al ways OF what might have been,
never Of what might be STILL l had no
Thought Tor the future Had | no, slain
H Had | anything sweet and dear OF my
'wu but the pas2
No, tor whole year d.l meet Ken.
ick rredeuu.ck again, and then it was by
/ mos, ualookyi.ior accident Helen
VAS married 90 an old larl who hsd
,lready buried three wives knew that
hey had never seen heuuck 20 speak 70
iuco the reception a, tb, Foreign Office;
.ui no doubt Helen had reasons Of her
,wn for suspectng tina, no chain OF &C.
'ideut, prevented him from meeting her
md from accepting Lady Trejennicks in.
.tlatious % erik huows,cy, So she took
,e old lord ior better tor worse, and, her
mother being l,0 dsughyerless, / was taken
o Scotland in the following autumn in
leleu's place.
Que day we-,he house .par,y-were in.
'ited To lunch ON yacht ,ha, was lying in
De hay beneath our Castle walls. Il was
-grd Weslhills yachts he and a party Of
ugn were cruising aboa, tho Ilebndes, and
lad put in here ioJ provisions aud letters
He was our hostesss nephew, aud he in.
tsd Us al, ioJ that jay, They were 20.
ug 90 sail in the evening, TO take
i,autase OF a change o. wind. or he
WOULD have been NalIrht-F D., br,r., hf.