The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-08-24

Gordon reused him to consciousness
of what his deep interest In Matte
signified.
He loved her, and he had under;
taken to plead the cause of another
to her! Thought became such tor
ture that he resolved to have the
dread interview over, to know the
worst at once. He found Matte in
the parlor of her fathers handsome
house, and. fearing for his own
strength, told his errand gently.
The girl looked at him with white
cheeks and a startled expression, as
if she had received a sudden. unex-
pected blow where she had looked
for kindness. Her great brown eyes
had haunted, piteous look that it
went to his heart to see. She strug:
gled for composure before she trusted
her voice to speak. and it was low
and tremulous when she said: 'Since
you are Mr.. Gordon's ambassador!
tell him. from pla. that he has my
most sincere good wishes for his sue:
cess in his new life. He has no
warmer friend, no more earnest we'll
wisher than myself. But can never
be his wife. / do not love him. We
have been like brother and sister
since childhood, and l can give him
my sisterly affection, nothing more"
II think he is sincere in his resos
luton to make his life more earnest
and useful than it has ever been, "ths
Rev. Henry Stiilman said, his own
pain urging him still to plead Ned's
cause.
II hope he will persevere in his re-
solve. He may make noble man."
but his love"--
II can never return" she said res
olutely. "Pray leave me now. IL
am not WELL"
He left her. Only few feet from
the door he turned and retraced his
steps. He had satisfied his con.
science; had pleaded the cause of the
younger, hardsomer man. Faith!
fully he had placed before Matte all
Ned's pleauings. all her influence
might Go for him, and he had won
only steedy refusal of the suit he
urged.
"Now-he set his teeth hard, and
went back. Now he would risk his
own fate! But at the door he paused.
for Matte had thrown herself in
deep armchair, and with her face
hidden, was sobbing with a perfect
passion of grief.
Was it for Ned? Did she already
repent her decision? Irresolute
whether to retreat or advance, Hars
vey Stillman stood in the doorway
till Matte. neither seeing nor hear
ing him, felt she was not alone, and
looked up. I'm moment she was on
her feet, and for the first time the
clergyman saw her eyes fash with
anger.
"Why do you come back ?'' she
cried. "Have you not sufficiently
humiliated me?"
81" he cried. "I humiliate you ?"
"What else is it to come to me to-
plead for Gordon's love? Is he an
idiot that he cannot speak himselfs
but must make my name a byword
by prating his love to every stran-
ger?"
Miss Woolston, you misjudge him
and meme most of all if you imag.
inc desire to humiliate you. I. who
honor you above all other women
|. who came tearing my own heart to
plead against 1t for your happiness !
Do not judge me harshly. Matte. for
my loves sake ~
She had visably frightened as he
spoke, such dewv happiness rested in
the brown eyes, such tremulous
smiles gathered around the small
mouth, that the Rev. Harvey Still-'
man felt his own heart throb with
sudden rapture.
"Mattie." he cried, II am many
years older than you are. and yet T
love you with all the strength of my
heart ~
"And love you"
Simply as child, she told the truth
of her own heart. He was not a man
for any outburst of rapture. Tender.
ly he folded her in his arms, saying
softly, "Thank God, darIingp ~
Nobody hut Matte and her be-
trothed knew why Ned Gordon re-
solved to pursue his studies in Lon
don instead of remaining with his
father in Greyport, but years later,
when he came back to the country
town to take his fathers practice, the
Rev. Henry Stillman felt, with
grateful emotion, that the good reso-
buttons had not faltered, but had en-
nobled and purified the entire life of