The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-04-29

bug and the question mentally recurring.
who is this man who owns her keyY"
lie had hardly waited a quarter of an
hour when footsteps and laughter am
nounced the return of the Misses Grey and
their visitor
Here they are said Mrs Grey.
The door was thrown open. and two
young ladies entered, followed by q very
handsome young man.
Hugh" exclaimed tie lady of the
house, turning to the newcomer, 'this gem
tleman has kindly brought you your keys.
lie found them in walking from Fore
ham,"
"How fortunatei Indeed am much in
debted to you'' said Mrs Grey's visitor.
Nigel had sent piercing look in the di-
rection of the young man, hut at once saw
that he was unknown to him. There was
no excuse for lingering any longer, but he
could not so till he had determined some
thing which tore him with bitterest agony.
"You win tell mel hope" faltered he,
show this key came into your possessionY''
and he indicated the bright line of gold
hanging amid the steel
"Oh, that one" replied the young man
carelessly. THAT isn't mine, as a matter
of fact, though ! hardly suppose / shall
ever have an opportunity of restoring it to
its owner"
"Where-where did you find its" cried
Nigel, now in uncomfortable agitation-so
keen that il communicated itself i'm part "a
his hearers
II picked it up on board ship last year
when / went over to America for an au-
tumn trip" answered the other. "It be-
longed to young lady-one of the passen-
gers-and-and''--
You and she are engaged?' interrupted
Nigel, in voice scarcely audible from the
emotion of the speaker.
No; we are strangers, the young man
FASTENED TO say. II have never been able
to restore the key (Which l recognized as
hers from having often observed it hang,
ing from her watch chain because press
ing business, coupled with the severe ill
ness of a near relative who had journeyed
out without me, prevented my tracing this
lady Immediately. Afterward it was too
late; she and her mother had left the hotel
to which found they had gene on land
ing, and so placed the key on my own
ring Suppose | now transfer it to your
keepingg"
Nigel had sat down again The revul-
sion of feeling had been too strong for him
after believing that his lost love was
eternally divided from him--that she must
be betrothed to the handsome young man
who possessed her key Once, three years
ago, he and she had been on the eve Of
making their vows together at the altar.
when all at once, through his own foolish
Jealousy, this bright vision of happiness
had vanished. Evelyn-hs Evie-had been
terrified by his too eXacting demands that
she should see no one, think of no one,
when In his presence, and quarrel all Of
his making, bad ensued CHANGING back
he could perceive his error his folly. his
harshness-now when it was indeed too
late. Such undue proportions had his
Jealousy taken that he had imagined Eve
lyn cared not for him, but his wealth. and
he had made one unguarded exclamation
to this effect. One only, but it was enough
far the hign-souled loving girl who had
promised to be his bride.
Next day she sent back all his gifts. with
three brief lines:
This time yesterday nothing but death could
nave forced me from you; now nothing but death
can reunite us EVELYN MopE
Nigel had flown up to town before this
brief farewell arrived, intending to drown
his misecy in rushing hither and thither;
saying to himself poor foolish fellow that
Evelyn would repent her obstinacy about
that fellow Hartford the acquaintance who
had aroused his jealousy, and undertake
not to speak to him again when they met.
Why, if she loved him, was she not ready
to promise anything?
lie reckOned without his host On again
reaching home-ten days after he quilted
lt-Evelyn was no longer in the neighbor-
hood. "She had gone to visit an uncle"
was the reply to his inquiries at the house.
Gonel And he had found that short and
dreadful farewell awaiting!
Distracted now at the idea that per-
chance he might not so easily persuade
Evelyn to pardon him Che had no answer
to the one brief letter he had written to |
herr he eagerly inquired her present where
abouts, and learned, with increasing agony. |
that Evelyn's mother had seized on a most |
unexpected offer, had let her house fur
nished to a friend, and that Evelyn had ac-
companied her mother and uncle abroad.
Whittier? That was his cry--a cry still /
unanswered.
1t was long time before Mrs. More's
friend, who had taken the house off her
hand, could be prevailed on to give him
Miss More's address. and it was also very 1
long before an answer came to the impas-
stoned appeal he wrote to his wounded be- |
trothed. twas an answer which threw him |
into a new agony Of pain and induced /
fever which had threatened his life.
Evelyn's mother and Evelyn herself
wrote
IL was impossible after what had occurred chat 4
Miss More could ever again subject herself to like
suspicious Her engagement with Mr. Greenly
was definitely at an end
And after this he, too, had tried to for
get. How vainly he felt with added force
IN this most bitter hour as with swiftest
speed all that we have recorded here shot
through his tortured brain.