The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-02-09

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"pEnnAps THAT VALENTINE WAS NOT MEANT
FOR Me-"
such evident sincerity that she really be-
lieved him.
"Of course you will visit Helen and
have the matter explained" said June.
would it not be better to write frst,"
He actually dreaded to meet her after
such ridiculous mistake without pre-
vious explanation.
Had he known how sore Helen's heart
was, how she longed for sight of his
face, he would not have been so timid
She had long since repented her haste
seeing in her cooler moments how unlike.
ly il was that he had designed the foolish
valentine for her, still, pride withheld
her from taking a step toward learr ing the
truth.
Harris Miller, confident that he had made
permanent estrangement between them,
had urged his suit anew, only to be scorn-
fully repulsed, for girls of Helens stamp
do not shift their affections easily.
She was sitting by her desk one evening,
her head bowed upon her hands, as she
| was thinking miserably how little life held
for her in comparison with the hopes a
| few months since.
"Ohl Harvey" she cried, and her fine
eyes were full Of unutterable longing, 'ff
you only knew how gladly l would undo
the past"
A ring at the door bell aroused her and a
few moments later servant called her to
the parlor.
She arose with weary sigh as she went
down the stairs. 81 am in no mood to
chatter nothings with society friends to-
| mir CHI fol ha ni
the door.
| A familiar form stood under the chan
delier, pair of pleading blue eyes looked
eagerly into hers, and she knew from his
look that the mistake, whatever IT was,
had been righted, and she met him half
way as he advanced.
''Helen, my Helen," he said, and his voice
had never sounded so sweet, so manly to
her before.
The horrors of the unhappy past were
all forgotten as for few happy moments
they were clasped in close embrace, and
then Harvey said, roguishly: "For my part
of the explanation, dearest, will say that
my sister June is anxious to exchange val
entines with YOU. for she fears you do not
properly appreciate the one selected for
her, not with the best of taste, pll admit.
think you will like tho one l supposed
had sent you the best,' and he drew the
valentine which June had enjoyed so much
from his breast pocket.
| She took it with trembling hands, look
ing at it through mist of happy tears.
How much unhappiness l might have
| saved had stopped to consider" she said,
regretfvlly. "Did you receive my pict-
| ure2"
your picturel' 1t was Harvey's turn
to be surprised. SIS it possible you sent
| me your picturein
Very possible, Harvey" she replied,
archly. "a cabinet photograph taken ex-
pressly for you and IN answer to your
postal / thought the most acceptable
valentine could send you would be my
self"
| A grave look shadowed Harvey's happy
| face. "Then you did not send Harris Miller
your photograph"
"Barris Miller! What could have put
such strange idea into your head, dearl"
She blushed as the caressing word, never
before used except in the privacy of her
| own room, escaped her lips
HE showed 1t to me, claiming that 1t
came from you as u valentine"
She looked up at him in panied sur
prise. sand you believed himw
"How could do otherwise. 1t was only
the morning after l had received your
package, and / had no other clew to
your reasons, and knew your exclusive
ideas in regard to your picture Oh Helen,
ii you knew what have suffered"
She was looking at him seriously. "Har-
vey, how do you suppose Harris Miller came
by that picturel 1t was securely wrapped
and sealed and know there is but the one
copy, fof i brought home the negative,
and the artist positively assured me he
printed no duplicates, and Harrison is
man of his word"
~ fear" and Harvey shook his head,
''that he came by it far from honestly"
The conviction had been growing upon him
that Harris Miller was the man whom the
detectives were looking for, and that he
would be in duty bound to tell what he
knew.
He knows my handwriting even better
than you do, Helen rejoined. "for we once
attended writing school together, and he
was always laughing at my queer Us and
HIS, and he could pick out my valentine to
you from all others. To think that he had
the audacity to ask me again to marry
him after doing such und erhand work"
81 am afraid Helen, that he has done
even worse work than that" replied Har-
vey, gravely, and he related his interview
with his detective friend, "and IL he is
proven to be the thief he will have ample
time to mediate on his misdeeds, for there
will be no mercy shown him"
Z" Harvey, can not we get that picture
out of his possessiona" said Helen, look
ing earnestly in her lovers face, "the
thought of my photograph in the hands OF
such man is perfect torture"
Since have the original can afford
to be generous" said Harvey, teasingly;
''let the poor fellow have it, since it is all of
you he can ever claim. Seriously, dear, I
fear we can not without the pain of per-
sonal interview. and even then his malici-
GUS satisfaction in annoying you would
prompt him to keep it. Possession is nine
points OF the law in his case"
II was as Harvey had suspected, and
Helen's photograph was the means OF un-
earthing an adroit mail robber, whose sue
cess had made him bold and careless, or
he would never have ventured 70 show
the spoils Of his unlawful skill, even for
loves sake and Havvey and Helen were
married on the very day that Harris Mil,
ier put on his prison garb in the peniten-
tiary, ...- Mrs. II. III. HOWARD.