Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-03-21

Ho tn Anxious for his answer, and
~ With ! strange a~brnptness he said:
Ton have ! message for ms--sonle-
thing "a tell met
s0h, yes! but I know mot how to :
is hsys . great deal-but--"
VA great deale No, Cora, / may
call you ~ may ( mott"
~Yes--I-Oh, MI. Carstone, | MAS
~ surprised
sSuIprised' Does Mr.. velmonte
know"
~Ysa I-I--told him, and he is so
pleased.
he wasn't angry at my presumption
thenes
sOh don't talk like that. Why. I
think he Wa a. surprised as ! was. /
an unlike Violet; she il beautiful and
young, while I-Oh Mr.. Carstone, did
ron really meal it?r
For ! moment William Carstone was
mad and bewildered.
What did Cora mean? She spoke as
il she had received the love message
instsad Of Violet. And yet he knew he
had addressed the envelope to the
young girl.
Had some trickery been resorted to?
Was it possible that Cora had opened
her cousins letter and appropriated the
offer TO herself? He seized her wrist
and asked almost Grossly:
what does it all mean? | wrote
| to-
@Ah, C~arstone, my boy. / didn't
think it OF you, but she's o dear, good
creature Take her with my blessing"
exclaimed old Mr.. velmonte, entering
The During this speech Cora
had managed to slip from the room,
and the millionaire continued in his
happy, boisterons style.
Il am awfully glad, do You know, but
/ was surprised. II il had been Violet
now, -"
II wrote to $500" commenced Car
stone, trying to explain the mistake,
but he was stopped suddenly by Vel
monte continuing:
aOfcourse, aud very thoughtful. too.
for she suffers with her heart, poor
girl, and II you had spoken the shock
might have injured her. Take care Of
her, my boy. She is not poor"
It was M use, Carstone got no op-
portunity to explain. IL was evident
Cora had obtained tile letter by some
means and thought the offer was to
her. To tell her Of the mistake might
be too great o shock for her to bear. and
so when William Carstone left larry
town that night he was an engaged
man, and more than ever in love.
But alas! he loved the cousin Of the
lady whose husband he had promised
to become.
Two years had gone by and William
Carstone had been married eighteen
months
His wife-.Cora, had been all that
heart could wish, and he had never by
word or deed undeceived her rs to the
offer Of marriage.
He had been q kind husband, and
sought, by extra attentions to make up
for want Of love.
William Carstone sat in his Office on
ST. Valentines Day thinking over that
strange and unexplained event of two
years before.
Violet yelmonte had come to town
and was sitting in the richly furnished
O1ltCc W8ltkuk lOT NhIStOu6 VI utSOiHe
pany her to his residence.
At the moment he was about to leave.
Hugh Blair. an old college chum, had
burst into the Office. He had been
travelling in South America and had
only just returned.
"By Jove, C~arstone," he exclaimed,
II am your valentine. 1t is two years
since l was in your Office, and" He
stopped suddenly, for he had not per-
ceived the lady.
Carstone laughed lightly, and then
introduced his friend to Violet.
miss Velmonte." he said. "of larry
town."
"Yes," answered the lady.
Excuse me, then, for my forward
ness. for though ! never saw you be-
fore, / once wrote to you"
AWrote to me, Mr.. Blair?"
"Yes; didn't You find it out? 1t was
two years age. I came to see Carstone,
he was out, so I sat down ut his desk
and lighted . cigar. As i'll luck would
have it my ashes fell on q letter and
burnt q hole in the envelope. ! thought
it was only q business letter, SO l took
pen and . new envelope and addressed
the letter afresh---"
I'm Heavens name, who was the let
ter tor" asked Carstone excitedly.
"Why, good gracious, man, haven't
! been telling you? The envelope was
addressed to Miss something-Vel-
monte, my cigar ash destroyed the
something, 80 I looked round and
found another envelope, which was also
addressed to Miss velmonte, so 1
copied it, and then my zeal was SO
great that ] mailed it"
And ruined my life," burst from
Carstone.
Violet looked at him, and then the
color mounted to her cheeks. The
mystery wa explained. She knew now
that she it was who had possessed Cars
tones love, and his friends cigar ash
had blighted two lives.
Without understanding oil, Blair saw
he had made some egregious blunder
and wisely took his leave.
Carstone aud Violet were alone.
Both trembled, each knew that some
thing must be- said.
Carstone ct last mustered up sufi-
Gent courage to speak.
@Do You understands he asked.
II think Ido.. she faltered in reply.
*And you know that two years ago I
intended that letter for You? It was
Blair's stupidity. Violet" and he seized
her hand, @if you had received that
what would have been your answer"
Il should have been happy, but Cora
u 30, and / am content"
"And you knew I loved you?"
Sometimes / thought So"
1And youf"
There was no need for reply. The
crimson food which dyed her face was
sufficient answer to the question.
Both were sad. and yet each felt glad
that the mystery had been explained.
That evening was q sorrowful one
for both. for whom the Carstone resi-
dence was reached. messengers were
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