Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-09-06

"A wife?" cried in amazement. your
yes, Miss Perciyal, ~"
Already angry with her before this I'D
mission, her words drove me quite beyond
my power of self-control, and my voice
was full of bitter scorn. Yet 1t was no
match 10 the quiet, intense scorn in hers,
as she rose to her full queenly height, her
dark eyes glittering like stars, and the
crimson spots in her cream cheeks glow
ing like the burning heart OF the richest.
reddest rose.
In all our acquaintance had never adj
mired her so much as i did at that mo-
ment But, remembering the wrong she
had done my brother, ! felt no kindness
toward her. :.
pray explain, if you can, Miss Grandi-
son, said in my coldest tone, why You
entered this house under false charac-
ter, in which you won my brothers heart
only to break it, What have you 10 say to
that?"
Nothing, except that your brother
knows all have TO tell. and don't feel
called upon to disclose my troubles TO the
whole world. III you deem me unit for
the position l hold in your house, Miss
Percival, will go elsewhere.
"You may" answered coldly.
was ashamed of my unkindness, even
ms spoke, but believing her just then 10
be q designing woman, the calm COM
posure of her manner angered me until
neither spoke nor acted like myself.
"Very we'll" she said, and my heart
smote me at the deathly pallor of her face
as she turned to leave the room.
At that instant servant handed me Q
letter from Ralph, and i tore 1T open ano
read it where / stood. Such letter!-
explaining why he had gone away, anc
declaring that Miss Grandson, whom M
pronounced as the best and noblest o.
women, was not to blame for his folly
He ended by begging me to be kind to her
and not allow her to leave our home 81
long as she needed such position.
Half penitently l placed the letter II
her hand, remarling that Ralph's wishes
were law to me, and that hoped sh'
would forget my words and do what wa
best for her happiness.
She hesitated minute or SO, with tn
open letter in her hand, and l knew tina
great struggle was going on beneath tha
calm, beautiful exterior.
1T is humiliating she said at length
with little, quivering smile, to remain
here under the circumstances; but on
poor, Miss Percival, and | must not thinl
too much of my dignity. Besides, wa
,
would not have been so unjust.
r And so she stayed
, Months after, when had grown to lov
, and esteem her for the "best and mobiles
, of women" as Ralph had called her, sh
I told me her story.
: Briefly, she had large fortune willie
1 to her by an uncle of her husband, who's
other heirs. through jealousy and greco
o had blasted her life by cruel ISLANDERS. i
: the bitterness of their hatred they hA
: estranged her husband from her, and
h had deserted her, believing her to
:. false.
r Her enemies had been successful in n
n their plots against her, and she had born
i5saa"tE,f6i isSsaa To- f6eir l hiafHnItf tHftGGe
Ii wonder that n woman like her could haV
endured them ana IIved.
,e Abandoned by the husband whom 81
,t still loved better than her own life, III
20 thrown friendless upon the world, she M
" kent her history to herself, simply dro
ry ping her married title for the sake Oh D
or ing less exposed to curious questlonln
Id When winter came round again we
es expecting Ralph, who wrote that ne
heart whole once moro, and intended
t. bring friend to help him enjoy his We
he come home.
Dh How handsome Ralph looked as
to walked, smiling and happy, into the mi.
no of our family circle, and what asplen,1,l
e. looking man was the stranger who Walk
,st close behind him. 90.
AS Miss Grandison's dark, beauti
he ewes glanced up at them, shrek tina
vn shall never forget rang through the TO
int and she fell fainting into the strange
N arms. n ,
set What need to say more. Ralph
he constituted himself Don Quixote,
he had secretly pledged himself to night
Dor wrong of the woman who had retu
a O him. :,
He had found Paul Grandson, had
try him where his wife was, and what n II
oil pure woman she had proven herself.
EN- And Paul had come with him to XII
lde at Floras feet las he afterward told
uld and crave her pardon.
her l think Ralph was almost as ha
the when Flora turned those beautiful br'
ewes upon him and murmured: God b
the YOU, my noble friend" as he would /
mer been could his own dream OF winning
ere. have been fulfilled.