The record-union., 1892-07-16

had cousin Stephen, so little did heed
him, bat he was still at Ranston: still,
perhaps. an inmate of her home. Why
Here [ dropped the reins and drew out
her last letter 20 steady me. l read 1t
through and the dear words brought
kindliness back, and [ kissed her name
at the end, say ing some one wfss fool.
But the doubt had found entrance and
grew, as cancers do, without our knowing
! il. For the days went on. and no letter
came, no sign, Till l grew half-wlld at the
cruelty of it. l wrote, reproducing her;
another week went, and another AZ
/ last the letter came. The postboy handed
! it to me as l stood at the gate-l dare say
! he wondered why | was always there
| ripped it open, while my heart
pumped fit to break itself. Then the pa
per dropped from my hands and l held
on 10 the gate with a singing in my ears
and sudden weakness IN seeing which
darllened the sun and all beneath 1t.
Doris uufaiJhtui-it wasn't natural.
Our souls had grated and we were one;
we were two streams that mad met to
turn the same mill-wheei together; our
hearts were bound with ligameRts OF
their own growing; there was no undo
ing what nature had 50 willed. Yet
there was her handwriting, her own
words IN good black ink telling white il
was liar.
Then, all at once, through the rush and
swirl of it. came the thought Of the new
doctor, and a queer cOldnesS went through
me as if / had been turned to clay before
my time. The life seemed to 90 out from
me, and / could scarcely move my feet,
as, half staggering, l went indoors and
dropped into chair. Again | read the
note, though every cursed word was
burned in my brain forever:
cannot marry you, dedr-it is impossible
l like you, am fond OF you Is I told you IN
gDn ~ on
your wlfa-I cannot, indeed. On. / wish
mad tod you earlier now things were; it was
cr2e. OF me 10 let you so on loving me with
I out telling you the truth. l was afraid 10 at
last; but now yOu are away 1t seems less diti-
cult to say. Forgive me; look elsewhere for a
more fitting mate-some one who can fully
share your new lie with you, and help you as
a wife should, with heau, heart and hand
some one who can love you better than
DORIS.
An hour went by, maybe two, while
| the hardening went on, while the love
died away, and the light and the ioy Of
life dimmed and fiickered out leaving.
me in darkness with hate and revenge.
! Then / rose up and looked round at the
! difference Of things, for all seemed al
tered and not the same. | moved to NV
/ desk and, unlocking a drawer, took out
I all her letters, and they, too, had altered
and were merely so many pieces Of pa
! per, not sacred things to be touched with
/ reverence, like bits Of the holy rood.
! But the breath OF lavender from them
| got at some soft corner III me, making.
my eyes hot and tightening my throat.
! For second or TWO [ paused, looking at
! the vision that grew out Of them, till
! anger putfed and blew il all away, leaV-
Ing me with only the bundle of papers.
rms l Wrapped up, along with a dead
| rose and a lock OF yellow hair, and di-
| rected to Miss Hanlon, Ranton-in-the
! vale, Worcestershire, England
Here" said 1, as Nita, my uncle's old
| househeeper, hobbled in to lay the cloth
| for tea, ''Iet one OF the lads take this TO
the station before dark. No matter: PU
! take it myself Where's B0ss?"
| Coin away?" said Boss Wilson, as I
| pulled up, half an hour later, at the gate
| be was mending, Just as the corn's vel
! lowin' for the machines? SummaC wrong?
You look kinder hit-hope tain't seri-
GUS" He wiped his face, Ioolin' hard at
mine, which l turned away, feeling it
was q tell-tale.
''You WON'T be alone long" [ went on.
| ''My father is on his way, and win take
! possession OF the farm and see to thinrs
| In my absence. [ have asked him to keen
! you on, Boss, and ! think you'll find
| him good sort. Good-by. See you
again some day, when Pve-when rve
! found what / want" / glanced down
| at his turrowed face and saw Kindness
in it.
Lost summat, gaaer?" said he, and l
| could feel the search of his look He was
shrewd man, twice my age, and NAV
! have noticed many things since we had
! been together.
"Ay, l've lost something" answered,
! ''but it's not that I'm after Boss. No
use hunting for broken bubbles, I take
! it,"
"No, 'tain't, drawled Boss, ''but what
! ever you're after, it'll TEX some findin', [
| guess, am you may scOur the world up
an down an find it in yourself, when
ALPS done Have as good knock round,
an when it's all turnt out come back
| again and mex friends WI things"
l could see his outStretched hand. and
mine went to it involuntarily.
"S'long, gaher," was all heard as the
! horse leaped away with me down the
rough track.
so long," I said to the hot silence and
! the Western solitude, where [ had
dreamed my dreams awhile, tolerant OF
! the summer loneliness as long as [ could
people it with fancy and see Doris and
! good company beyond it. But to re-
main there with my dead hopes all about
me, griuning like marionettes which love
had made caper, deluded by it's own
magic; to live on through the long mo-
notOnOus heat with no opposite shore Tor
the bridge of thought to touch, with no
! future but togbank where had beeu q
fair country. No, could not