The Wahpeton times., 1891-02-05
{ THE |]ll EBONY BOX,

80. !. ~ i
Could I help it that / was young and
she faded and past her youth and nev-
er pretty?
had no idea of doing her any harm
when came to her fine mansion to
spend q summer month with her.
She told me that she was engaged to
be married and wanted me to meet
her betrothed husband. 1t was allh
own doing,
came, we saw each other, and he
gave me his heart on the instant.
558% He had never given her that; her
money had won him, but now his pas
sion for me made him feel that it was
worthless.
One day he told her all. Ihad fled
back to my home in terror, thinking
that when she knew the truth she
might hate me.
1t seemed so treacherous to come as
her guest and rob her OF her lover.
felt that if she struck me, or even kill
ed me, she would only do what was
just and right. But shortly Edwin
wrote to me:
"My darling Bella-Miss Ellen VIM
throp is the best and sweetest OF wom-
en-; an angel could not have been
kinder.
"'Bella is much better suited to
you than l am she said. Give her
my love and tell her Ihope you will be
happy. I have long felt that, though
we may always be friends, we were
never meant for lovers
The letter had much more in it, but
nothing that need to write here.
was so glad that she had forgiven
me, so thankful for now could be-
gin to forgive myself u little; and vet
. had done nothing but what Heaven
had made me, and the sort of woman
Edwin Hunt liked.
t had not made an effort to win his
love, only when it came to me, like
dew to the roses in the summer eve, |
could not refuse it. We were lovers
now, we were happy.
tried to make myself believe that
Esther Winthrop was happy also. but
she looked pale and worn.
i, When i met her in the street her
eyeshad q sunken look and she seemed
lost in reverie; yet when she saw me
she smiled and took my hand, and
told me that 1 must ask her O nv
wedding.
At least, however, she would have
! been strange bride for handsome
young Edwin Hunt. Strangers might
havetaken her for hismother. She was
{ one of those women who, as soon as
/ early girlhood ispassed, look hard and
withered. Yet knowing that she had
been so kind and dignified, so forgiving
to me, Isaid to myself that would new
er Judge any woman by her face again,
for Esther Winthrop deserved to be
1 the lovliest of living women.
q Oh, what a blind idiot was l! Saint
,ly forgiveness never gave such a cold,
N.evil look to q woman's eye, or wrote
Ssuch tigress lines abont q woman's
mouth.
But / believed in her then-I almost
worshipped her. When she bade me
come to see her, went timidly, Won
dering ut her sweetness and courtesy.
! which never seemed to fail her.
She came to my wedding; she gave
me the handsomest OF all my presents.
She won golden opinions of all who
met her.
The night OF our wedding we spent
at a hotel in the city; on the following
daywe were to take an ocean steamer
There would be large party to see us
off, and Esther had promised to be
one of them.
''To-morrow!!" How lightly we ut.
ter the word, never thinking what it
may bring forth or that we may never
live to see it.
That night messenger brought a
letter to Edwin. He read it with a
smile and took up his hat.
"You must suffer from curiosity I'M
til RETURN" he said, laughing, as he
kissed me. ''As they say in novels
the secret is not mine but another's. ,
Then he ran gaily down the stairs
whistlingas he went. All night wait
Eed his return. In the morning he was
= still absent. He never came again
Where he went, why he went, what
4 fate had befallen him, remained &
"a mystery.
Those were not wanting who nodded
k and shook their heads. and said that
murder could not be hid so complete
ssassly. That any accident must have
b been known, and that he who hac
II Tilted one woman might be untrue tc
= another.
He lad broken his engagement Will
MRstefpp soS Of to how Srfy Se %s hsd bee' aef
Z seenWleh a beautiful Spanish girl the
J day before. and that both seemed agi
/ tated.
''Lies!' 1 cried. False tales that
have no foundation; whatever may
have happened, he was never false tc
\ me-"
But the days passed on, and the
months and years, and nothing was
! heard Of him, and surprise gave way
to hopeless misery.
had impoverished myself in fruit
less feeling of detectives, in useless
journeys to and fro. My parents were
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