Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-21

which she took perhdious man to task,
and written an indulgent criticism with
out reading beyond the second chapter.
II he had been her father he would have
laughed q good deal at her herolcs, but
now and again they would have touched
him, and he would have locked the book
away in his desk, seeing no particular
cleyerness in it, but feeling proud OF his
daughter. 1t would have brought such
thoughts TO him about his wife as sud
denly fill a man with tenderness
thoughts he seldom gives expression to,
though she would like TO hear them.
Rob. however, drank 10 the book, his
brain tlled with the writer OF IL. 1t was
about a young girl who had given her
heart TO q stranger, and one day whe0
she was full of the Joy OF bis love he had
disappeared She waited wondering,
fearing, aud then her heart broke and
her only desire was 10 die. NO one
could account for the change that came
over her, for she was proud and her rel
atives were not sympathetic. She had no
mother 10 90 TO, and her father could
not have understood. She became list
less. and though she smiled and talked
TO all: when she went to her solitary
bedchamber she turned her face In
silence 10 the wall. Then fever came
20 her. and after that she had to be
taken to the continent. What shook
her listleSsness was an accident to her
father. IL was feared that he was on
his deathbed, and as she nursed
him she saw that her life had
been a selfish one. From that moment
she resolved if he got better lis
il not terrible this, that the best OF US
try 70 make terms with GOd?) TO de-
vote her life to him and lead q nobler
existence among the poor and suffering
ones at home. The sudden death OF
friend who was not good man fright
ened her so much that she became Ill
again, and now she was so fearful OF
being untruthful that she could not
make a statement Of fact without add
ing 81 think So" under her breath.
She let people take advantage of her
lest she should be taking advantage OF
them, aud when she passed cripple on
the road she walked very slowly so that
be should not feel his infrmity.
Years afterwards she saw the man
who had pretended 10 love her and then
ridden away. He said that he could not
explain everything 10 her, and that he
loved her still; but she drew herself up,
and with a look of inetfable scorn told
him that she no longer loved him.
When they first met, she said, she had
been little more than a child, and so
she had made an idol Of him.
But long since the idol had crum-
bled TO pieces, and now she knew that
she had worshipped thing OF clay. She
wished him well, but she no longer
loved him. As Lord Caltonbridge list
ened he knew that she spoke the truth,
and his eyes dropped before her digni-
fed but contemptuous gaze. Then con-
cludes the author, dwelling upon this
little triumph with satisfaction that
hardly suggests heart broken beyond
mending, he turned upon his heel, at
last realizing what he was; and, feeling
smaller and meaner than had been his
wont, left the Orange for the second and
last time.
How much Of this might be fiction
Rob was not In mind TO puzzle over.
Ii seemed 10 him that the soul Of pure
minded girl had been laid open to him.
To look was almost desecration, ana
vet 10 was there whichever way he
turned. A great longing rose In his
heart 10 sea Mary Abinger again and tell
her what ne thought of himself now. He
rose and paced the floor, and the words
he could not speak last night came TO
his lips in q torrent. Like many men
who live much alone, Rob often held
imaginary conversations with persons
far distant, and he denounced
himself to this girl score OF
times as he passed backward and for
ward. Always she looked at him in re-
ply with that wonderful smile which had
pleaded with him not to be unhappy on
her account. Horrible fears laid hold
on him that after the guests departed
she had gone to her room and wept.
That villain, Sir Clement, had doubtless
left the castle for the second and last
time feeling smaller and meaner than
had been his won't" Rob clinChed his
fist at the thought OF HIM, but how
could he dare 20 rage at the barOnet
when be had been as great scoundrel
himself? Rob looked about him for his
hat; a power not to be resisted was draw
ing him back TO Dome Castle.
He heard the clatter Of crockery in
the kitchen as he opened his door, and
IL recalled him TO himself. At that
moment it flashed upon him that he
had forgotten 10 write any notice OF
Col. Abinger's speech. He had neg
lected the Office and come straight
home. At any other time this would
have startled him, but now II seemed
the merest trile. 1t passed for the mo-
ment from his mind, and its place was
taken by the remembrance that his
boots were muddy and his coat soak
ing. For the first time in his life the
seriousness Of going out with his hair
upbrushed came home To him. He had
hitherto been content TO do little more
than fling a comb at it once day. Rob
returned to his room, and crossing TO
the mirror, looked anxiously into it to
see what he was like. lie took OF his
coat and brushed it vigorously.
Having laved his face, he opened his
box aud produced from it two necktieS,
which he looked at for long time be-
fore he could make up his mind which
to wear. Then he changed his boots.
When he had brushed his hat he re-
membered with anxiety some one on
the Mirror having asked him why he
wore it so far back on his head. He
tilted it forward and carefully examin-
ed the effects in the looklng-glass.
Then, forgetful that the sounds from
the kitchen betokened the approach Of
breakfast, he hurried out of the house.
1t was a frosty morning, and already
the streets were alive; but Rob looked
az no one. For women in the alb
stract he now felt an unconscious
pity, because they were all so very uu-
iike Mary Ahinger. He had grown so