The South western news., 1888-02-15

i'du he Sal0 Gould She but read
what he had written, she would
know. She took a pin from her
dress and drew 1t along the edge Of
the envelope, 1t opened a little
space, but the rest chung as closely
as before. Impatient at this she
forgot all prudence and drew the
pin across the paper with a sudden
push. It'cat its way through, and
now the mischief was done.
James heart beat hard and fast
with teSs0sy but sha. lad gaaa@.t00
fer to stop.
4 shall know the truth, she
said, and letters are always being
lost in these country post-offices. I'll
read it since Eve torn it Then she
pulled away the envelope, spread
the sheet paper on her knee and
read the following words:
DEAR MISS CoNYERs: It seems
odd that a man of thirty should he
afraid to stand face TO face with a
girl of twenty, and tell her that he
loved her; but | could not summon
courage to do so, nor 10 ask the
question that follows such a con-
fession. So, far from you, 1 COM
nit my hopes to this paper, and
having in plain words said / love
you, ask you in palmer words still
DO you love me Enough to be
my wife? If you do, write me at
once, | pray, and make me the
harpiest man on earth by telling
me so IF you do not, then pain
neither Of us by refusal; simply
leave my letter unanswered. lean
bear it better so. But shall pray
for the letter, for | love you better
than my life.
HARRY CRAIG.
Jane drew a deep breath.
so it has gone as far as this, ;
she said. What tools men are /!
She will he glad enough to say
yes, bit if / Should destroy this
bit of paper he would never know
it, and then-well. then he would
do his best to fill her place. Nen's
hearts never break, and ] should
mect him ii the vity this winter;
and there is no one WHOM know
suits me better. That old man
who gave me the letter read the
address. There can be no inqui-
ries made. 1t would be safe to dc>
stf6y it; dangerous not to do so
now, even if | wanted Annie to
read it,
Then Jane tore the letter in two,
thrust it into its envelope and
looked about her. 1t would be
dangerous to tear it TO bits in the
wood. Its white fragments might
attract some eye AMONG the green
ness of the grass. JANE hurried to
the water side, and, looking over
her shoulder as one might who ex~
pected to see ghost, tossed the
little package In. 1t fell with the
closed side downward, and distend>
ed by the torn note which was
roughly thrust into it. The sur.
face was hard and highly finished,
anu shaped 80 as to resist the wa
ter A little breeze that had Just
sprung up favored it, and away it
hoated, like a little boat; deity
clearing the shore and lacking and
turning as it passed the dark, half
hidden breasts of the little rock s
over which the water played.
Goodbye said Jane, laughing
as she watched it. i have set a
vessel, freighted with the hopes of
Harry Craig, aAoat in fine style. 1
am afraid it viii make shipwreck,
but all the better for some one
else. It's an i'll wind that blows
no one any good
And turning she tripped toward
the house.
At this moment, further along
this same stream, where, in a little
cove, lay hidden a great tangle of
water lilies, Annie Conyers sat in a
rough little boat, rowed by Mrs.
Wilton's son Peter, shockheaded
boy of twelve. Little Fannie
Wilton sat beside her. and the two
girls drew up the dank, dark green
stems of the great beautiful white
flowers.
If one could only carry them to
the city, said Annie; but they ale
ways die. How greedy I am. l
can never get enough. But well
leave the buds till they open-and
there comes one down the stream