San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-10

-weifP- said Florence, 1mpatlenuy. -
sWhen did you receive this exceedingly
strange spistler asked her sister.
"About twenty minutes ago. and can as
sure you that am utterly unable 70 account
for its meaning"
Shave you quarreledr' asked Grace.
EMO; there has not been the slightest dis
agreement between wLn
"Fiorence. John Macomber Is sendbls
man He would not act In this manner with
out some cause"
Little Mr.. Harding took up the letter again I,
and read II through.
"What does be mean BY saying that yout
have made an avow.lr shs ASKED
"That ID Just tho question was endeavor- |
ing to answer when asked for your assist
ance," answered Norenca
"ChAxlis viii understand 10, am sure"
I'D 0race I'VE Win ask him when be
como homo this evening"
I'VE win do nothing Of the kind, replied
yforsnoa "Chariish power Tor discovering
The msanines Of pushing spistlss b doubtlsss
unlimtesd, but have no dsstrs 10 - every
ons know tAat have bssn 5iltsds And
With thess words shs turned and walled 10
the window On ths opposite dds Of ths room
'Tlopsneep
well, 0racs whaA have I nd 10 shock
youi Was II my rsmafk In rsfsrmoe 70
ChaSfisr
"Is was nos what you said about ChariIe,v
answered Mn Harding, ''though an sorry
you Win nos allow mo 10 tell him about this
lsstsr, - am sure b would unde1stnd IT,
10 sddsd with wifsay prida II was sur-
prissd b hear you ~ thas you bad been
tltsd.
II suppose that b ths correct word"
n DON'T bs13eve that you suppose anytAing
Of he hind, and II yua DO you are very fooa-
ish.s rH-aa-ra
"whas s,ss h there left for me to thinkr
sd norsnos, turning suddsnly. he has
IN me In . manner which tustiaes me in
thinking 90" c.
sViosencs," I'D Mira Harding, riding and
going over 70 her sdseef who Wa sanding BY
TIE window With troubled eyss and q cold,
hard expression on hef faoe. 'AFlorenca,
dont you think some one may have written
John Macomber letter IN your name, ask
ing him to release you from your engage
mentF
at is Just possible" said the girl slowly.
"It Is more than possible; 1t is probable.
At least you should give him the benefit Of
the doubt I am certain that he loves you
devotedly, and he would not have deserted
you in this manner without some reason"
"But who could have written him such q
letter as you speak Off
"Some one who desired to separate you
two. Florence, in his letter John refers to
an avowal which he says you have made.
He certainly would not have done SO had he
not been under the impression that you had
made it. That avowal caused him to write
this letter. You say that you have not writ
ten to him; then it is clear some one else has
written in your name"
"You are right, Grace. 1t is strange that
did not think of that before. Some one has
endeavored to part us, and l fear has sue
ceeded."
"Whya You have only to show this note to
john and all will be we'll"
"a very easy method of settling the affair,
if it were only possible. Unfortunately Mr.
Macomber left the village this evening"
THAT is unfortunate. Who told you."
1.-THE boy who brought me this letter. /
thought when he handed it to me that it was
a note explaining the suddenness of his de-
parture."
Perhaps he left his address with some of
his friends"
''He has very few friends in the village,
and it is n OF likely that he would have ac-
quainted any of them with his plans, leaving
hurriedly as he did"
"Never mind. l am sure that you will
hear something from him soon."
Mrs. Harding had gone back to her seat
and resumed her sewing. Presently she said,
cheerily:
"Florence, you must take your waI; as
usual this evening. You must not think of
this affair too much, or when John comes
back he will find that you have LOST all of
your color"
"He will never come back" answered the
girl ~ feel i'll know it."
She went slowly to her room, and taking a
photograph from a drawer looked at it ten
derby and sadly. 1t was the face of a very
handsome man; and as her eyes dwelt on the
noble brow and proud mouth, sob after sob
shook her form, and she cried alSid in the
bitterness Of pain:
"Ohl John, John, have you gone out Of my
life forever~
Two years passed-years fraught with sor
row for Florence Grahame Death had come
into the Harding household and robbed 1t of
ito stay and support-Charles Harding.
Grace, overcome with grief, after her hus-
bands death had fallen into decline, and
soon she, too, was gone, leaving Florence
alone.
She was now employed as teacher to two
little girls, daughters of Mr.. Deerhurst,
and her home was as pleasant as she could
reasonably have expected it to be.