The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-10-14

| hih yet. lney always said i dtdn
know the first principles of love; pc,
haps they were right"
Mr.. Barclay was never SO thorough
astonished in his twenty eight years G
life He asked rather stifiy:
"Will you kindly state why you on
gagged yourself to mep"
"Well, Tom, I always liked you
We've known each other for years. Ou
families are intimate. What NOR
natural than that you, the only son, an,
1, the only daughter, should marryp Be
sides." with little break in the clea
voice, until tonight I thought yo,
loved me-"
Tom pulled his chair close to Eliza
beth's and drew her head down to hi
shoulder. He ought to have done tha
earlier in the evening. Then he said:
MY dear, what possesses you? Yo,
know love YOU"
For an instant the yellow head restet
where he had placed it. Then Mis-
Murray drew herself away and rose t,
her feet.
mo, Tom. 1t is too late to make m,
believe that. We are not fitted to max,
each other happy. am quite certain
of it. Let us break off our engage
ment."
"And all on account of that con
founded speech of mine about dress
maker" he exclaimed, savagely. ~
mot certainly that. 1 feel that yor
do not love me, and something tells me
that 1 ought not to be your wife"
MIR. Barclay, man-like, loved the
woman who was slipping away from
him at this moment better than ever
before, and he had loved her always, in
his way; but he had made mistake in
not showing his affection more plainly.
Beth" he said, ''forglve me. /
didn't mean it. 1 was a brute. As my
wife you will be free as air; you must
know that. Think moment; it is not
an objectionable offense, is it?"
II tell you it is not because of what
you said," she reiterated. "It is be-
cause l know you do not love me, and
that l am not at all sure that 1 love
you"
Mr.. Barclays temper began to rise
again. He remarked:
This is nice statement for a man
to hear three weeks before his mar
riage."
much nicer than it would be three
weeks after" she retorted. 'The invi-
tations are not out; no one outside of
our families knows that the day was
set. will take my finery," she added,
with smile, land 90 TO Italy. Take
your ring, Tom, and say good.by,"
drawing off the diamond.
Mechanically Tom dropped the circlet
into his pocket Suddenly he took
step toward her, caught her in his
arms, kissed her once, twice, three
times, with all the passion of man
who loves, then, releasing her, turned
and left the room, while Miss Murray,
white and trembling, sank into her
chair, hid her face and cried bitterly.
Much to Elizabeth's S surprise Mr.. Bar.
clay made no attempt to see or speak
to her again. She explained where it
was necessary:
"Mr. Barclay and have changed our
A month later she and Aunt Clare
were outward bound with Italy for
their goal. The balance of the winter
and the following spring and summer
were spent roaming from place to
place. Then one of those financial
cyclones called panic swept over the
United States, and Miss Murray and
her aunt were called h ONE.
Thomas Barclay, though a young
man, was a large dealer in coffee, teas
and spices. His was one of the dozen
firms that failed that autumn. Dis
honest and unfortunate creditors had
cost him one hundred Thousand dollars.
But that cut no figure in settling up his
own affairs. He cleared his stables,
sold every inch of real estate, and,
when his own creditors were paid dol
ar for dollar, Mr.. Barclay had a clear
stainless record and five
thousand dollars in cash.
He went west, and Miss Murray
heard no more of him. Her father, an
importer of silks and foreign fabrics,
expenses and, aided by a gen.
erous loan from Aunt Clare, weathered
The storm.
One summer, two years later, Eliza
beth and her mother Joined party
who were going to make a tour of the
penetrating even the wilds
If Alaska before their return.
1t was In Portland that Miss MURRAY
met with an accident, and treacherous
banana peeling was to blame for it.
She had gone out alone to make some
small purchase, and, stepping on the de-
,eitful peel, would have fallen head
ong had not a gentleman Just behind |
ler caught her in his arms. Almost
'ainting with the pain of badly |
prained ankle Miss Murray looked into
Mr. Barclays gray eyes.
''Tom-Mr Barclay" she staln,nered,
lighting the faintness that nearly over
'amo her, and then rallying enough to
that Tom was asking anx-
ously: "Are you hurt?" my ankle is
prained." she said, with white lips.
A crowd was gathering. A gentle
nan offered his assistance, and Eliza
'eth was taken to the nearest store.
While Tom called a carriage and then
accompanied her home
In spite of the pain Miss Murray could
lot help looking at the man who was
o have been her husband. That indi-
'idual met her eyes and said:
''Wcll?"
Miss Murray blushed painfully. con-
cious that she had been staring.
ut is SO long since have seen YOU,
nd we used to be such good friends"
he replied, gently.
Whose fault is it that you have not
cen me for SO long?" he demanded, and.
M mo- ts<xr, <.,I n. n III. 1