Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-05-03

uerS as though iOdu hdu oeeh removed
from them.
"When did you Gomez" she was say.
ling: ..tli, morning? And you came at
once 90 us. That was charming of you
4 only wish Nina had been az home tC
receive and help TO welcome YOU"
ROYAL. who for the last second had
been perilOusly near taking her into his
farms. recovered himself sufficiently tC
I take the chair she indicated. IL was not
Ionly that the situation was unexpected
/ but that she, as she now appeared, was
I eQually unexpected He sat regarding
I her helplessly.
You received my letter." His tone
was experimental
Phyllis did not answer him directly.
/ She had laid u pair of blue spectacles on
the table, and was busily removing her
glove
II have 20 wear glasses still out OF
doors" She informed him cheeriully.
. But .n the house / am quite independ-
lent of Them.
ROYALS eyes were on her hands. She
+ had taken of the right glove au1 was
urbutrouiug the left. The trimming OF
+ her sleeve had caught iu q button ana
+ was giving her trouble.
LET me help YOU Royal said, and
leaned eagerly forward
+ She surrendered her hand at once, and
Inc extricated the fastening from its en-
rare'ement. and then, in response TO an
|acouisceut glance, drew of the glove.
. As le did SD his eyes instinctiyely sought
f her third finger, and be drew his breath
hard-She had taken of her wedding
ring. His hopes Tell below freezing point
m am instant To him it appeared a
porrent
..Why did YOU take III OFF,
The words broke from him involun-
tar.Iy and with thrill Of pain.
Because it was johns, and am MOI
his Wife
Then when he would have spoken She
checked him by % gesture and turned
Finer truthful eyes full ou him;
..Yor letter came some days ago, Or.
RoyaL know why YOU did not write
b.fore-that consideration for me held
YOU back from telling me the story
months ago. You would not imperl
INV chance of sight / am grateful ior
v1rr Kindness But could not discuss
fl. matter with YOU until you should
have spoken of ityOurselL j wanted To
milk with YOU about 10, so ! showed you
that you might speak at last.
R.vaI looked bewildered-
.,you knew of the affair before my
letter reached you?' he hazarded
-Yes. I've known the story Tor
month, past. Dr. R0yal--ever since a
v...I, or two after you went away last
December When l saw you that laSt
-,-r,fra Won seemed SO unlike John that
,ould scarcely realize how you could
i,sy. changed 80 much. l said nothing
DOB Nina 40 first aud put the thought
aside but it Kept returning. When 1
smoke to her about it first she made Jun
M ,.. laughed at the idea OF your being
changed, more than the years "ouia aC-
count for. and thought cou.un see
.t..t She was eyadiug and slipping away
from the subject. When my eyes got
stronger got Out the package OF photo
graphs of himself my cousin aad sent
me from time t0 time, and only the ursJ
..frhfch had ever seen. NoneOI them
.vs, fp the least like you, and no stretch
1s Imagination wauld make them SO.
Yor seemed q totally different man.
Then remembered blunderS that you
had made. and which did not notice at
rr- plumbers John couldn't have
made. 10 troubled me, for it was all
nc0mprehen>ible.
She paused moment and Royal IN
dim way realized that IL had been hard
OH her. His conscience Smote him.
~Oaa day." Phyllis went on, Nina
left 81 letter of yours on the table when
ST.. had finished reading il aloud. She
did not usually leave them around.
sfpped tho bandage up and looked al
the hand writing. Ii was not bit like
Johns. He wrote q delicate, students
hand. almost like a woman'S, and you
use d stub Ut d write with large letters
and "a heavy stroke. / couldn't endure
it any longer then and made Nina tell
mo-"
..Was that the reaSan you would not
let me come In the syringe Royal queS-
toned, a light breaking in on nim
yes. / wanted 10 get used 10 IL all,
and 90 learn 90 separate you from John
in INV mind. And l wanted TO be my
very self when we should meet again,
besides-not helpless and dependent any
more, but woman who could take her
life into her own hands if need were.
DO you understands
ROYAL bent his head. His brain was
fr "a whirl. but it held fast TO one joyful
fact: she had known the whole story
when she had written that note. His
heart leaped, but he held himself in
check.
-When 1 learned that John was dead
Dr. seemed ut first as though nall my ne
had been broken of and buried with
him, the soft voice proceeded. And l
dared not weep for him, even when my
heart was aching. That was hard Tor
there aas never time in my life with
our the thought of John. 1t seems
strange that be should have continued
Oh care for nae SD much through all those
year, that he should have shortened
bis Ito through trying TO provide Tor
me. Ii makes me feel so guilty. so sell
.,d, that after my sight began 10 Iall L
should have been more taken up win
my 0wu hopes aud fears than with
thoughts Of h.m-that l never should
.arr loved h,m as he deserved TO DE
loved" The voice was wiStful aud very
.auler, but the sweet gray eyes were
fearless.
Royal rose and came to her, unable
any longer 10 master his emotions.
Bending down be- took her hands aud
raised her o. her feet:
You knew IL all when you wrote that
note knew that you were not. and
never had been, John Royals WIFE, but
were miue2 And you asked me 10 come
ID you. Phyllis, do you know what you
are doing? Do you know that you are
giving me hope Of more than forgive
ness"
Her sweet eyes met his in all simple
ity, and her hands were not withdrawn
from his clasp. She was without the