The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-08-22

y
Harvey. | had little reason TO expect
this attention from you. rather thought
| should have seen Mr.. Fletcher"
Harvey made no reply.
Alarmed by his silence, Miss WingroYe
exclaimed:
"Oh. Mr.. Harvey, surely nothing has
happened to Mr.. Fletcher also Why is
he not here2 Where is he?'
ole has gone abroad, replied Harvey.
"Gone abroad" echoed Ada turning
pale and placing her hand on her heart.
And why?7
well, believe he has had The offer Of
a very lucrative appointment indeed, and
he told me he had accepted it."
"And-aud--did he leave no message,
no word for me-" grasped the poor girl
DO you know of the relations between
uSY"
| John Harvey was not thorough paced
scoundrel; but he saw himself in the
presence of a strong temptation, great
opportunity. He knew that there had
been some error in Ada's letter: he per
cciyed that it was Richard Fletcher and
not himself who had gained herAnecton ;
and his rival had suddenly departed, leav-
ing the cost clear to him, lie was not
i
So, while protesting to sympatize deep
ly with Miss Wingrove in her double be-
reavement, the loss OF her father and the
sudden flight OF her lover, he continued
to insinuate, without actually stating it in
so many words, that Richard Fletcher had
altered his mind, and that in view of the
tempting offer which the Liverpool firm
had made him, he had decided to abandon
the thought Of marriage and pursue for
tune instead.
"Oh ~ cried Ada, 81 did not think that
any man could be so base Least of all
such man as believed him to be-"
Harvey endeayored to console her. He
assured her that no doubt there would
soon be news of the absent man, and that
the motives of his departure would be
fully and satisfactorily explained. Ada
seemed almost stunned by her sorrow,
and she did not seek to detain him when
Harvey proposed to take his leave and he
was now glad to do 80.
at is no fault of mine, he reflected as
he walked home, "thas things have
turned out in this way. And if profit
by them who is to blame me?"
Days passed. and weeks and months.
Still no news arrived direct from Richard
Fletcher. Yet he had been heard of as
alive and well somewhere in South Amer
lea, and the fact in time reached Ada
Wingrove's ears. She felt deep resent.
ment towards the man whom she regard
ed as having deserted her, and in proper
ton as that feeling increased, John Har.
veys attempts to win her gained ground
He was assiduous in his attentions to
her, considerate and consolatory in his
language, and little by little madfe va,
toward the goal of his hopes.
Inc ultimate result is not surprising
ABOUT Twelve months after her father
death and the hight of Richard Fletcher
Ada Winsrove had promised to become
John liarvey's wife.
pne evening, week before the dat,
hNed FOR her wedding, Ada sat by hel
hreslde, awaiting her lover, and thinking
over her position. She had some misgiv
lngs. She felt that in spite of RicharC
flttchers cruel conduct, her heart wa'
sun with him, not with John Harvey, anC
she bitterly reproached herself for the
haste with which she had accepted thu
man she was now pledged to marry
why mad she not waited little longer
Perhaps some explanation of Richards
departure might yet be Forthcoming.
opened she looked up, expecting to see
her alllanced husband, but it was servant
VINO hau entered the room and announced
"Mr' Fletcher.
Ada sprang up astounded Richard
Fletcher approached her, holding out his
hand. But she Shrank back and would
not take II, exelalmlng;
nat IL the meaning OF this
''InIrllslOn!' SnUURStpI Fletcher
~ dld not say that, replied Ada.
"Well, perhaps you mean it, observed
her visitor, land l am not surprised.
But pardon me; only called to congrat-
ulate you on your approaching marriage
to my friend, John Harvey. | have just
returned from South America, and heard
the sad cause of the postponcment of
your wedding-the death of your father.
But am glad that it Is to take place at
last. There, am quite heart whole now,
MISS Wlngrove. IL was hard struggle,
| confess, but became reconciled at last
to your rejection of me-"
My rejection of YOU echoed Ada /;
what DO you mean?'
why, did you not write to your father
saying that of the two men who had pro
posed to you, you preferred John Har-
veyt
Never.
"lhat Is very strange. Here Is your
own letter, which have always carried
near my heart, which 1t weil-nish broke
Ihereupon he drew from his pocket
book the old, crumpled duplicate letter he
mad received from Mr.. Wingrove year
before Ada seized II eagerly, ana win
oianched face and quivering lips hastily
perused It's contents.
yes, yes" she said, when she had read
the first few lines, "that is what wrote
that s-but no; no, this is all wong
never wrote that Il confess prefer
no, no, not John IIarvey'-that is not
what meant, but Richard Fletcher; gon
do you hear? Oh, how has this fatal