Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-23

l am not even sure that she was goodlack
ing, but there was something sbont her
II you carsd at all, we'll, you cared She
stayed a week, tan at the end of the time
| told her, more or less directly, that !
loved her. was to see her the next day
IN London, The nextday, as il happened. !
l was prevented by my mothers serious
illness. wrote and tod her this. beg
ging her TO fix day for my visit. Sh
made no reply, and four days later I call
ed &C the house to be told she was out Of
town. The next day accepted the offey
OF The Waterloo Gazette, and went out to
Afrlta. I'm sure l don't know why
cared. She wasn't worth it; she had Civ
an me every encouragement-had even al
loved me to kiss her. Isuppose there YVES
richer fellow On hand, OF one whose father
didn't happen to keep a shop"
Fleming rose, Struggling his shoulders
Addenbrooke remained silent. The voice
OF Mrs Baxter, announcing that the por
manIeau vas in LaWTence's room, came
as a relief to both.
by the by" said Johnny, in q low
voice, as the other felt for his KEYS. "all
this TOOK place at the Meades in War
wickshire. FROM March the 18th en-
vards?" =.
"Oh anwered Lawrence, with some
vsxation, pausing or his way to the door,
Il suppose you know all about il like the
rest Of the worldW And he went from
the room.
"
AddenbrOOks remained behind, pacing,
the ridiculous, incopgruous apartment,
while an unWOnted storm of emotion rag
ed within him.
The parts of the puzzle lay, fitted to-
eether, in his bend; it only remained 70
him to step forward and proclaim the 70
luton of mOet commonplace enigma
An inefficient postman, careless house
maid-o1 some such undignifed tIiho had
the whole complication hung, like many
another complication before it.
No doubt, sooner or later, the missing
clew would come to light, when he him
self had made its discovery of 40 import
ance whatever
Had he been of melOdralnstic turn OF
mind, Addenbrooke might have laughed
aloud at the irony Of the situation.
His own dream was shattered forever;
but of that for the moment he scarcely
thought.
What he saw most clearly was this;
that, by his own act, he must make Lyde
over into the hands of man unworthy Of
her-unlikely to make her happy; to think
of whom in connection with her seemed
contamination.
But the man whom Lydia loved withal
There was The sting, the shock, that ior
the moment took away his breath, aid
made him pause, pale, mOtionless, in hi
walk.
Then suddenly, before the modest ard
uncritical mind of AddenbroOke flashed
in vivid colors the image of TIVE men OF
himself and his friend.
He saw Lawrence Fleming with his
snowy, unr liable cleverness. his moral
COarseness; the man stood before him re-
vealed in all his second ratepess.
And he saw himself, John AddenbrOoke,
az he had always been, in the dignity of
his irreproacbful life-of his honest. pa
tient labor
He looked on this picture and on that,
and K eH ca d for what it was wor b..
Then eusued in thu peaceful breast Of
AddenbroOke terrible war of though T.
and emotions
Life, when had hitherto been a simple
natter enough, mere case Of doing you
duty and mindiug your own business,
bad assumed a complexion Of cruel diff
Guilty
And yet be knew that the more obvious
aspect of the matter was not complicated
one.
Lydia no more belonged to him than a
dog who had followed him home and had
ben claimed by it, master.
He was bound in common honor, to re
veal the facts of which he had accidently
become possessed.
Should he go to Lydia and say: This
mar, whom you prefer 80 infinitely 10
myself, is far less worthy of you than l.
He has not led bad life, as men go, hui
he has not lei good one" Men of tn
y rid 90 not do such things but then
Ad0enbTooke was not a man of the
world.
And if he had no other right over
l. dia, had be rot that Of bis own lie
long love aud her three weeks tolerance
Off?
Tue door opeUed to admit Lawreuce
Fleming He bad chang his coat, aJd
bore a bundle Of papers and pip In he
hand.
"Aby tahacco?" be said taking the emp
Is seat a. the writing table.
Addenbrooke nodded 30 ward jar o.
the msntlepiece, coniinueirg his troubled
p Omensde sorCss the rOlm.
/ was dawning, painfully, bat sure.J,
on bis mind that his hands we're indeed
lied; that IL only remained for Lydia to
choose bstweel them.
"But il is who would hsy made her
happy! thought poor obstinate Johnny
"Aoy nsatches?" said Fleming, win
his fagers in the tobacco jar.
Johnny made no answer, and the other
fumblsd IN The pocket Of his coat
"By GeOrgeW
This time AddcnbrOoke was reused, snd
came over to the table. What's upP' b
said
Fleming pointed in silence to r. stamped
and addressed envelope lying at his feet.
OobHuJ plchOo ~ up WIN " NN-i '~
IF relief that matters had been more or
less taken out of hi5 hands. He knew be-
fore he looked at it, that 1t was addressed
to Miss Grey, and that it was Fleming
CUSTOMARY carelss'ness in the matte
of p-stlDg his letters which had wrougb
the mischief
Lawrence was much excited sit mad |
slirpsd behind the lining OF the pocket!
l had Just taken the coat from my port
msnteau o, that poor girl! that poo
girl what must she have thought of me al
this timer"
Addenbrooke faced him suddenly. |
do you intend, " he said, in low voice
"endeavOring to repair the mischief
1t is possible that he had low opinion
of Flemings cOnstancy.