The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-02-08

(I>eXH111|EAz.z 49, = Q
~, ss S.!ll!!!l+glZ
| ''PERHAPs 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 frstr'
He actually dreaded to meet her after
| such ridiculous mistake without a pre-
vious explanation.
| Had he known how sore Helen's heart
was, how she longed for a sight Of his
| fice, he would not have been so timid.
| She had long since repented her haste,
seeing in her cooler moments how unlike.
| ly II 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
| a permanent estrangement between them,
had urged his suit anew. only to be scorn-
fully repulsed, for girls Of Helen's stamp
do not shift their affections easily.
| She was sitting by her desk one evening,
| her head bowed upon her hands, rs she
was thinking miserably how little life held
for her in comparison with the hopes q
| few months since.
"Ohl Harvey" she cried, and her fine
| eyes were full Of unutterable longing, 'if
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 parior. . 81.
She arose with a weary sigh as she went
| down the stairs. 81 am in no mood to
chatter nothings with society friends to-
night" she reflected sadly as she opened
| the door.
A familiar form stood under the chan
delier, q 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, 90 manly to
| her before.
The horrors Of the unhappy past were
all forgotten as for few happy moments
| they were claspci in a 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, I'll admit.
| think you will like the one 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 a mist of happy tears.
How much unhappiness might have
| saved had stopped to consider" she said,
regretfully. ''Did you receive my pict-
urer'
.Your picturew It was Harvey's turn
to be surprised. us it possible you sent
me your pictureP' .s..e..
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" rs.I as.
A grave look Swallowed Harvey's happy
your photograph .....-- .r,..
such a strange idea into your head, deara'
4
before used except in the privacy Of her
| own room, escaped her lips
| He showed it to me, claiming that 1t
came from you as valentine"
She looked up at him in panied sur
prise. "And you believed hima' $40
'.How could do otherwise. It was only
the morning after l had received your
package, and I had no other clew to
your reasons, and knew your exclusive
ideas in regard to your picture. Oh! Helen,
IL you knew what have SUFFERED"
She was looking at him seriously. "Har-
| vey, how do you suppose Harris Miller came
| by that picturei It was securely wrapped
and sealed and / know there is but the one
| copy, for brought home the negative,
\ and the artist positively assured me he
printed no duplicates, and Harrison is q
man of his word" Goo - l
| 81 fear" and Harvey shook his head,
shat 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 be
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 sudacity to ask me again to marry
him after doing such underhand work."
81 am afraid, Helen, that he has done
4 even worse work than that" replied Har.
vey, gravely, and he related his inter view
with his detective friend, s'and il he 10
proven to be the thief he will have ample
time to mediate on his misdeeds, for there
| will be no mercy shown him"
Harvey, can not we get that picture
out OF his possessionl" SAID Helen. look
ing earnestly in her lovers face, ''the
thought Of my photograph in the hands of
| such man Ii perfect torture"
Since have the original, can afford
to be generous" said Harvey, teasingly
'let the poor fellow have it, since it il all of
you he can ever claim. Seriously, dear, !
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 keepft Possession Is nine
points Of the Law In his case.'' "A
II was - Harvey had suspected, and
4 Helen's photograph was the means Of un.
earthing an adxoit mail robber, whose sue
cess had made him bald and careless. or
he would never have ventured to show
the spoils Of his unlawful skill, even for
loves sake, and Havvey and Helen were
married on The very day that Harris Nh
Ter put on his prison garb In the pennies
tiary. Ms. F. II HowARD.