The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-02-26

If ! dcsnot get a favorable reply from
you tD.morrow, shall accept il.
and 20 Immediately Life without
yon is uncomfortable here. FRANK.
.yon will get 10 answer oimor-
row, Weaver malterc.l; ..and once
safe in the West, my coast is clear.
What M idoit, To intruSt all his
happiness to a letter! But then, he's
50 terribly proud; he thought it
would hurt his dignity less TO write
a note tIlan seek an interview"
Yes, Weaver was right; Frank
was proud, ard 50 Was Bertha. A
tririal lovers quarrel had como be-
tween them, aud Bertha, feeling
sure Frank must see IN time he was
wrong, did not Try to right herself
She would gladly meet him half
way ia amy effort at reconciiition,
but farther than that her womanly
self respect would rot let her co..
y Ne;1sia3s bSe evenings were louely,
and -niicn Mr. Weaver called, he
found her ready to be entertained.
I On tile day after Weaver obtained
this letter, lac watched Hepburn
narrowly, and saw lie was restless
aud nervous, and by night that lie
was pale and weak The next day
he did not appear at the office, and
word came that he was sick.
backing up for ST. Paul. Weaver
sneered to himself. "It's Just an
excuse.
But Frank Hepburn's was no as
snmed illness. ga bad case OF brain
fever the doctor said, as he gazed
with more than professional interest
on the young man lying before him.
His brown eyes were wide open,
and rcstlcssly flying from one face
TO another, as ii in search of one
that never came, while his parched
tongue constantly formed the word
"Ber;ha,' gently and plcadingly
spoken us long as his strength per-
mitted him to utter it. Then, as he
became weaker, only n Lalfarticn-
late murnnr greeted the ears of the
anxious watchers who bent above
him.
"Who is Bcrtha?' the physician
at last asked the weeping, gray
haired mother who had como from,
; a distant city to care for her only
son. ''wc must find her. l have
done all can for his body, but only
her coming can relieve his mind
Aud, he added, softly, "she must
come soon
@If only knew" the mother an
swered, '.huw / would fly to herl
, 1t is breaking my heart to face those
eager, longing eyes; but | do not
know. Among vs. boys parersarc
sevcph notes ygned Bertha, but
no16ther naYe is given, and all are
dated Homo. Oh, doctor, it is
q Ihard 10 liow woman holds my
beautidl boys life in her hands,
andll cannot even plead with her
| fr iti'' And with a passionate
gesture she turned away.
At the office things went on as
usual Weaver noticed Frank $
desk remained vacant, but said 10
himself, when the clerks spoke of
his illness:
"Men don't die of broken hearts,
and lie will recover cured of his
fancy
He could not, however, bring
himself to destroy the stolen letter,
but when alone, constantly took it
from his pocket and glanced at it.
One day while doing so, Mr..
Wade suddenly entered the room.
Hastily slipping it under pile of
bills, Weaver looked up.
"Mr. Weaver" his employer said,
"let me come to yonr desk. 1 want
to glance over Franks papers. ]
am afraid the poor boy himself will
never do that again. Sad, isn't itE :
And Mr. Wards kindly voice grew
husky.
as it so bad as that, sir21 weav.
er murmured; while deadly faint
ness. seized him.
$50 bad as that, fear" Mr. Wade
answered, mechanically taking up a
pile of papers and running over
them Suddenly he exclaimed:
: "What's this?-a letter written by
Frank himself, and never sent?"
The pity that a moment ago had
filled Weaver suddenly vanished,
and a fierce desire to escape detec-
tion had taken its place.
f "Why, yes" he said; 81 rcmem-
ber Frank intended tn invite Miss