Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-08-23

He colored, compromising his lips
Hxmly as he turned away.
"Then this letter will DO mailed a.
once 2" he queried, glancing ct the
letter In his hand. "BY JoVei beg |
your pardon, Rae-I have rumpled It
awfuly."
She took the crumpled white en-
velope from his grasp, and placed II on 1
the table among the roses.
Her quick eyes had caught q glimpse
OF a tall, fair haired man coming slowly
and languidly up the the walk which
| led TO the house Pale, slender, efem-
inate-it was Lloyd Dale. Il
at need not go at all, !" she observed
lightly, "slnce there Is Mr.. Dale him.
self. Now, Jack, take that frown OIL
your face, and"
But she paused abruptly, for there
was hasty exit through the open door
into the wide hall, and then she heard
the sound Of firm footsteps going down
the walk which led TO the gate, and
she knew that Jack was gone.
"How Awiully rude" she said to
herself.
And then Lloyd Dale was announced
and q moment later Rae was busily dis
cussing with her caller the arrange
ments for the drive on the morrow.
The next afternoon, as Jack Lowell
was slowly vending his way down the
main street of the large town In whose
suburbs Rae Randolph lived, he was
I electrified by the sight Of friend,
Y pale and agitated, who came tearing
\ down the street in wild alarm.
"Ohl Lowell, for Heavens sake,
comel' he cried. "You know the
Y party that went to the river to dayi
We'll, they were foolhardy enough ia
? attempt TO cross the old bridge, and i
: has gone down; and-snd nearly everl
II one who attended the excursion II
4 either dead or wounded They neeC
"a help-come with me-"
y Without q word. without o grOan
IA Jack Lowell prepared to follow.
/, Fast horses were saddled, and III
= two men with Q dozen others at ono
Z, SET out for the scene of the accident.
Half way TO the river-which wa
n two miles distant-Jack Lowell en-
+ countered Lloyd Dale-alone! ID
/, checked his horse.
y "Stopp he shouted, In deep ton
n OF thunder. "Lloyd Dale--where
4 l, Miss Randolph Is she injured ]
She"
He could say no more.
. Dale's face grew pale, then crimson
b "You don't suppose that woul
10 desert q woman at such q time, d
- you, LOwell2" he demanded. ''NC
:, Miss Randolph is not hurtl At th
u very last moment she refused to &
Y with me. She drove out to the rive
with her mother, ami they were sens
~ hle enough not to attempt to Cross th
20 bridge. Oh, 1t was terrible acc
dentn
ct And then Jack observed for Il
first time that Dale was limping sadl.
~ and one of his arms hung inert al
"o useless. II was the work Of m
ment to spring to the ground and q
M sist the wounded man upon his hors
ho which JACK led carefully back to q
~, no town. He saw Lloyd Dale safe
5 home under the hands of a skillt
ns physician, and then he fastened TO I
4 I home OF the Randolphs.
laa "Rael l love you'll Win you be
sue wifeH"
One glance into his true blue ey
a, ~ aud she had her head upon his bre
u1. while the sweet lips whispered Q
a a,,a word very short but satisfactory.
ll.e 81 say, Rael' observed Jack Low
ac- On hour aiterward, ~ don't believe
platonic friendship, do your j.
~. ~ think how we were deceiving o
,alu selves all the timeR"
nu: RAGS eyes met his, and she smil
aEe mlschievOusly, but did not say al
fei thing. She knew that with her tn
had never been any question, and
l'Ae felt convinced that platonic friendsh
is only another name for the true
~ tenderest love.