Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-10

and wished to be excused. He wonderet
what could be the reason of her refusal Il
see him; had he said or done anything I,
offend her? he asked her in a note, t.
which he received no reply.
Mrs. Brown handed Alice the note
and a beautiful bouquet of pale-tintec
heliotrope. She carried the flowers up tc
her room, where she could read her letter
undisturbed. 1t began ''My little girl,
and was signed Gerald"
"How dare he ?" she thought. "What
must he think of me-"
But the note must remain unanswered
she was not the silly creature he imagined
! her.
She sat at her desk one evening, week
later, having dismissed the children II
was relief to be alone and free to drop
| the cheerful face she was forced to wear
before inquisitiye eyes. She rested her
| head YEARLY on one slender hand and
gazed thong tfully out through the win
dow opposite. Suddenly voice broke the
silence.
"Alicep
Turning, she saw the subject of her
thoughts standing in the doorway; her
heart throbbed fercely, almost gladly.
She tried to control herself, but her voice
trembled as she said, "Mr. Thornton, what
brings you here ?"
He noted her pallor and asked: "Child,
what is the matter? What have | done
that you avoid me? Can it be that was
mistaken in thinking you cared for me a
little?"
He bent over her, laying his hand on
hers, but she drew it away
"Mr. Thornton, how dare you? I know
all-that you are not free. Now CO."
She arose and waved him away, but he
only retreated step or two.
'Alice, my darling, what do you mean %
Reserve your pet names for Mrs. Thorn
ton" He looked puzzled and she contin-
ued: keep them for your wife, sir"
A singular look crossed his face.
"My wife You have heard, then"
''That you are married? Yes Oh, how
could you-how could you deceive me so ?''
And, her short-lived anger gone, she COW
cred her poor face and sobbed bitterly.
He looked at her with wistfulness, but
did not speak, waiting for her to recover
herself. Then he asked, "Alice, who told
you my story"
"Miss Bailey, one of your friends"
81 thought so! And she gave you to
understand that my wife still lived ?"
Eyes"
"You believed her, of course?n
Alice uncovered her face and looked
intently at the speaker, hope shining in
her eyes.
as it not true, then? Are you not
married."
He walked to the door, gazed for a mo-
] ment at the scene around, and then said,
"Alice, come here moment"
She obeyed mechanically. Pointing
across the fields to the side of a gently
sloping hill, he asked, Little girl, do you
see that willow in the little graveyard,
the one which grows on the gentle slope ?
Beneath the shade of that willow lie the
remains of my poor dead wife"
"Deadw Alice burst into tears. ooh,
/ never knew; /"
GLOW should you, my poor darling? !
wished to be sure of your love before told
you my history" She blushed and hung
her head. ''But oh, Alice, how could you
think me such villain?"
"Forgive me-" she said, humbly. at was
wrong, and yet how could | doubt the as
sertion of your friend? Indeed, she in
tended me to think your wife was still liv-
ing"
"Friend p Gerald ground word be-
tween his teeth that was not compliment
airy. "But let us not talk of her, Alice
more important matters engross us now.
My pale little darling, you have suffered
much You love me a little then?"
She raised her face to his.
"Why should l deny what you already
know ~ she cried. 81 do love you, Ger
| als, better than anyone in the whole wide
world
Congratulate me, Olga"
Miss Bailey looked up from her book at
the sound of Gerald's voice, her eyes glist-
ening like STEEL
upon what, pray?"
MY approaching marriage with Miss
Arnold. l have persuaded her to set the
day"
| Happy man p The tone was light, but
the eyes were harder than ever. "When
was the happy decision reached?"
"This afternoon. / am really under
heavy obligations to you, Olga"
"Pray explain; hate riddles"
"And / hate falsehoods"
Fortunately, your likes and dislikes
! are vi ITO consequence 10 me, MI.
| Thornton" with disdainful toss of the
! head.
Fortunately, as you say, for I can
! frankly declare, without fear of wounding
you, Olga Bailey, treacherous and false
| friend, that despise your
''Mr. Thornton, how dare you? Let me
pass, sir p cried Olga, pale with anger and
some deeper feeling.
SIN one moment. / said Just now that
| was under obligation to you. Do you
know why? Because your wicked false
hood has shown me how good woman
can meet misfortune-how her purity may
conquer what she imagines to be an I'M
worthy love. have loved Miss Arnold
always. Now that she has been tested
and found pure gold, adore her !"
He said no more, for Olga, with cry OF
jealous pain and rage, fed from the room.
| He never saw her again.
The ring which glistened on Miss Ar
nold's hand few days later was the won
der ard admiration of the whole school,
and the sorrow of the scholars at losing
their beloved teacher was only partly nit
igated by their being allowed to witness
her marriage "And all went merry as a
marriage bell"
THE PENCIL BLUE.