Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-13
you think can be so glad at thought


Of jewels or fine raiment-"
The words broke, sobs choked her;
and turning from him. she hurried TO
the door
Clyde, Clyde, how could you?" his
mother cried, impulsively. "Are you
blind that you do not knowP Elaine
has loved you since she was Il child"
BlindP Yes, he had been so; but
with what a shock had sight come To
him. Well, all shocks are beneficial
TO the man whose love dream has but
Knocked him: aud hearts, when they
ache most sorely, may be nearest the
rebound.
Clyde eros ,ed the ocean, found all
MS represented, sent for his mother
and FL inc. and remained for three
We rs in England. Then, wishing for
"a sight of his native land, found him
self ON board for America.
If he thought Of luez Lake at all, rs
he stood alone on deck. the first night
after they had lost sight of land it was
with half smile. And yet when he
turned his eyes from the water and
saw her coming toward him. with the
oldeu grace in her every movement.
the oden smile on her red lips, his face
lost color, and for an instant ii SEEM
cd to him rs though within his heart
the love he had deemed lileless stirred
at is pleasant to meet again, Clyde"
she said. extending II so,t, jeweled
hand. 1--WE are both returning to
America after absence"
Il did not know you had left it," he
said. coldy.
ooh, yes. when | married Mr.. Vane
| coaxed him to take me abroad. and
he did so. We Travelled for year,
and then-you know he died in Naples
eleven months ago."
Clyde looked down upon her with
eyes as cold and hard as steel.
She had married Royal Vane; he had
idoliZcd her. and she told OF his death.
in foreign land, as even OF voice, as
calm OF face. as though she spoke OF
the fading OF II flower.
And such cold creatures could break
the hearts aud mar the lives OF men
Nay. il was memory, not love, that
had stirred in his breast. His love
his tender, precious love was sitting
beside his mother, surrounded by men
as she had been wherever her dark
face had been seen, since she went
with MIN across the seG-and he knew
that no beat OF her heart, no smile OF
her lips, was for any Of them: she
was his, loving and true. as in the Old
days she had been, when he had
passed her for the siren at his side.
IL did not know" he id at last.
II thought you did not" she answer
ed, softly, 'for you sent me 10 word.
have heard OF you, Clyde, and | know
that you are still free. ], also, am
free tonight. We are no longer poor. !"
If love was not utterly dead for her
in his heart, would it not have the dart
Of death in It then then. when she
came to him with the wealth OF the
unmOurue1 dead in her hands, with
which She fain would gild its thorn
pierced forehead.
They told you ! was still frec?n he
said slowly. his whole manly soul re-
voting from the task before him.
They did not tell you truly, then.
for | am bound. by love so strong
and tender that al past fancies blanch
to nothing beside it. When my hands
were empty. | was richer than | knew
rich in life's best riches. When for
tune came to me. | beg to realize
that it was not the love my wealth
. tOu4U PURCHASE tiidb L w dlicu, DuJ Tue
love that would be mine were | beg
gar in the streets. IT'S mine tonight.
Mrs. Vane, and yonder is the girl who
has my whole heart in her keeping.
Let me present you 10 her"
She bent her fair head and turned at
his side in silence.
II there was a regret in her breast.
it was not for the dead husband whom
she had left under the grasses Of
Naples. And if her dainty face was
paler than usual it only proved that in
the most selfish heart there is spot
which can be touched and made to
culver with keen agony of pain.
He led her TO Elaine and introduced
the two. And when Inez met the sunny,
upward glance of Elaine's dark eyes,
she did not wonder that her own spells
had fallen from Clyde's heart beneath
their splendor.
"She is lovelier than l." she told
herself, bitterly.
And it did not dawn upon her that il
was something nobler, worthier, less
transient than that beauty which had
won Clyde Harris.