The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-08-03

might have liked him If you had not
been 90 prejudiced beforehand, and
every thing might have been differ
ent!''
do not grieve, godmother,' said
Betty, gently. IF we have not been
friends, it is quite my own fault /
had no right to judge him before ]
knew him. y
But in spite Of her brave words, her
heart sank strangely. She knew that
she would have accepted Collins love
had she understood what he was Offer
ing her-for her belief in his unworthi-
ness, though it had destroyed her trust
in him, had not been strong enough to
kill her love.
And now her life would be one long
sorrow for that mistake. Colin would
never speak to her Of his love again
had she not peremptorily forbidden
himP He had gone away now to avoid
her, and after tomorrow she would
never see him again. But at any rate
she would see him once more, and then
oh, surely he would see that she was
sorry for having misjudged him SO!
But Colin remained at the Ladbrokes
for the night, and had not returned to
Forde when she left it the next Morn
ing for home.
Betty had been right when she as
sumed that Colin had gone away on
the previous afternoon to avoid her.
Her harsh rejection of his proposal
had reused his anger, and he felt too
hurt to bid her goodbye. But on his
return to London his anger grew less
as time passed on, though his love for
Betty did not diminish. As his thoughts
dwelt on her so constantly he began to
seek for some reason for her unkind-
ness; and the more he considered the
matter the more inexplicable did her
conduct appear. Her harshness and
anger the day that he proposed to her
were so at variance with her character
that he at last concluded that some
misunderstanding must exist in her
mind which he ought to explain away.
This idea led him to make a journey
to Devonshire few days later, though
his hopes of winning Betty's love were
small.
He walked over to the rectory on the
morning after his arrival, and was
shown into the empty drawing-room
by a neat maid-servant, who told him
that Betty would be there in a few min
utes, as she said she could be easily
sent for to the church, whittier she had
gone to practice. Colin, however, de-
cided to go himself, and had no diff
Guilty in finding the sacred edifce,
which was close at hand.
He seated himself just outside the
door, struck by the beauty of the pict-
ure before him. The old church was
cool and dim and still, the chancel
alone glorifed by the sunlight, which
glinted through the colored windows,
while the whole building was filled
with the low, plaintive notes of the
organ.
Colin sat down near the door and
waited patiently till Betty should come.
He heard her dismiss the little boy
with kind word of thanks for his
services-saw her shut and lock the
organ, and then he waited in almost
trembling expectancy while she came
slowly down the center aisle.
" Bettyr' he said, softly, rising rs
he spoke.
DR.. Campionr'
You are surprised to see me here"
he said, gently, walking out by her
side.
The sun shone down on her as she
leaned against the stonework of the
doorway, revealing to Colin how thin
and pale she had become, and how sad
were her eyes and lips.
"You have been ill" he said, look
ing down at her aAxiously.
"Oh, no; am perfectly well-un-
usually we'll, indeedr' she answered,
hastily, nervously lingering the flow
ers in her belt.
You are surprised to see me here,
seeing how we parted" he said, eye
ing her intently. "We did not even
say goodbye"
"Have you come to wish me good
bye now?" she asked, trying to smile.
"No, have come to ask you why
you were so angry that afternoon.
You treated my proposal as if I had
intended it as an insult; you spoke to
me as if [ were acting a part! don't
think quite deserved it, Betty-from
your
cit was a mistake" she faltered.
~ thought you were acting; I did not
believe in your love. II am very
sorry"
Betty" he said, taking her hands
gently in his, g if you had believ ed in
my love would your answer have been
| different?"
Ell think it might have BEEN"
"Dear, do you believe in it now?
Can you trust me now?"
"Yes!'' she said, looking up at him
for the first time.--M Y Graphic
HELPING THE POOR.
An Eccentric Rhode Islander Who Pre-
1