The Washington critic., 1888-03-03

would probably be over. Then Paul
sought Ethel.
81 have come to set you free" he
said. II have known for long that
we made a mistake in the past, that
your love for me was not what you
thought, what hoped. II will make
some other mans rich inheritance
yet; but l could not be happy with all
you have to give me. thank you
for trying to hide the truth from me
while / was so i'll. But now IL will be
best for us both that / should ioin
Charlie Page and his mother for an
Italian winter, and leave you and
/ heard you wishing for the other
day."
So it was arranged--and so Ethel
was free. But she could give no
sign, even had she known where
Wentworth was, and Of that she had
no knowledge. She knew only that
he had intended to seek q new home
in the West; and Marion, in her rare
letters, never mentioned him. With
her father she passed q delightful,
dreamy three months on the Nile,
and from Egypt they made pilgrim
age to the Holy Land, returning to
Europe in May. They had seen little
of its historic places yet outside of
England and Italy, and the next
year passed by in exploring Germany,
France and Spain. With another May
they were summoned to England to
witness Paul marriage to q fair Eng
lish girl, and then the four went to
Switzerland together. 1t was late
September when Mr.. Ninton and
Ethel sailed for home again, three
years after taking their departure
from it. Paul had taken up his abode
in England, to the great satisfaction
of his young wife's relatives.
The autumn days were busy enough
after so long an absence, and sped by
rapidly. One morning Ethel was
surprised by letter in her morning
mail from Marion, with the long ago
familiar postmark and Homes
dale, Nov 10TH" 1t ran:
"Come up and see us, Marsden and
myself, and baby Percivale, and ac-
knowledge that you never saw any
human being quite so lovely as is the
last named. We are through with
South America, and have come home
cept your ongratulations-only we
prefer that you should bring them in
person. Do come up speedily, my
dear girl, and put the last rose leaf on
my cup, even if it does make it over
flow and l may not deserve so
greatly. Marsden sends his love; and
Honesdale has not lost all its charm,
though the trees be leafless, and In
dian summer will soon have left us.
So come, and we will compare notes
of Southern and Eastern summers by
the red glow of anthracite in the
CRATE. Devotedly yours,
MARION"
AT tabout the time this letter was
written, Ashton Wentworth, then in
the last days of a months visit in
England, whittier business had taken
him, accepted the invitation of an
English friend to his home for q
couple of days. "You will meet a
compatriot Of your own, Dr. Paul
Randolph, and his wife," Mr.. Vivian
had said in giving the invitation.
Wentworth's heart had given one
great throb at the thought of who
that wife must be, but he had ruled
it with stern "Then must conquer
the old memories" He was pre-
pared to meet Ethel calmly; but
he was not prepared for the amaze
ment that awaited him when present.
ed to Mrs. Paul Randolph. If to this
fair-haired, dewy-lipped, little Eng
lish beauty belonged that title what
then had become of Miss Vinton? He
ventured to ask at last, and the relief
that came to his face on hearing the
answer was not lost upon Paul, upon
whom it suddenly let in ray of light
that was intensified when he learned
where Wentworth had met Ethel.
You will not fail to take time when
you reach New York to call upon Mr..
and Miss Ninton, and tell them how
lately you have seen us. That will
give You q double welcome-if you
need it," said DR.. Randolph in tone
that carried no small significance
with it.
A fortnight later Wentworth stood
at Ethel's door. "Mr. Vinton was
within, but Miss Ninton was absent
in the country" was the answer to
his inquiry. The master of the house
met him in the library with courteous
but questioning look Wentworth
answered it with, 81 had the pleasure
of waiting on Miss Ninton at my
cousin Marion Wynwood's wedding,
more than three years ago, and two
weeks since / promised DR.. Paul Ran
dolph to call upon you Immediately
on my return to America" Offering
his letters. The two gentlemen were
speedily i'll earnest conversation.
When Wentworth returned to his
hotel at late hour that night it was
with Mr.. Vinton's full assent to his
intention to seek Ethel by the earliest
morning train and put his fate to the
test with her.
AS Wentworth came that afternoon
to the well-remembered gate of Ma
rion's home he heard a never-forgot-
ten voice singing. II was not the air
nor the words to which he had first
listened from her, and which had
sounded so often since through his
sleeping and waking dreams. 1t was
"a Lost Chord" which Ethel was
singing to Sullivan's exquisite music.
Once more he paused and breathed
with great thrill in his heart as her
magnificent voice carried to him the
words:
ut quieted pain, and sorrow,
Like love oercoming strife:
Ii seemed the harmonious echo
From our discordant life.
II linked all perplexed meanings
Into one perfect peace,
And trembled away into silence
AS II II were 10th to cease"
Then he entered the room quietly.
| Ethel was aware of an entrance, but,
supposing 1t to be Marsden Leigh, she
sang on, with the close of the last
! lines
ut might be that only in Heaven
shall hear that grand Amen"
| She lifted her Owes To mcnt Ashtnn