Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-25

CHAPTER III.
Vera, Vera!" gasped, for the tears
were strangling me. Vera. wait, I
want to say something to YOU" but She
smiled sadly, shook her head, and
closed the door after her.
was alone, alone with nv sorrow.
alone with my happiness, for I was
now not only absolutely FREQ but by
Vera's noble sacrifice my fortune was
intact. The bonds laid by the dead
upon the living were broken. Nothing
now stood between beautiful Both and
me. She would be my wife and the
whole world would envy me my possess
sion: Pity Vera? Yes, did pity her,
put 1t was not the pity that holds kim
snip with love. 1t was the pity taat
one human heart feels for. another's
pang. True, Vera loved me tcnderIv.
with childlike faith aaa dew ton.
But wherein lay my crime that I did
not return it? For once the mot, arc
right: love is both child and blind
ana IN my cropping after happiness [
had laid hold of a hand whose warm
touch had thrilled me to the soul. 7
pltled Vera as she would have pitied
me II we could have changed places. 7
could not plead in ex.enuation where I
nad done no wrong. | would not uffrcnt
my love for Beth by apollo ,iz.ng for it.
But IN this moment of bliss came a
voice, like n Earring discord to trouble
sweet melody. 1t was Olneys. had
been careful to conceal from Beth the
tact that | numbered among myf lends
such tritie-, such lover OF frivolous
things, such a con1e;nner OF all that il
real and earne,t in life. And new it
apps arcd that Beth herself had been
following the same course with me.
She had withheld from me tho knowl-
edge OF her acquaintance with such a
notorious fiirt and male couuette as
handsome Jack Olrey.
But what a fool was l to wonder at
this? Must not young woman, must
nct beautiful girl like Beth. scatter
her smiles right and LETT upon the idle,
scIseless crowd that presses about her:
She may not frown on this one and nod
In friendly fashion to that: sac must
divide herself up. 1t is the mode of
the day, but | thanked heaven that /
was soon to drive this frivolous thronr
away and scatter it right and left, and
rescue my beautiful Beth from its
senseless adulation. So l resolved to
ignore completely the fact that Jack
Olney had inlorme l my aunt of my de-
votion to Miss Brewic, and in nv con-
versation; with him not e:ea cJnde-
scsnd to mention her name. In TACT. I
determined to keep cut of Olncy's way
as much as possible, and. therefore. the
next day, after the morning lecture at
the law school, l passed into the
library to work up some authorities for
a case in the Moot Court. While 50
occupied, Olney suddenly made his ap-
pearance and sitting down beside me
took letter out OF his pocket and be-
gan reading it, pausing now and then
to utter hump or to give a contemptu-
GUS chuckle. Suddenly he tossed the
letter down on the table and burst out:
Well, that girl will be the death of
mew
l pretended not to hear him. l
didn't even look up, but could feel the
cold Precipitation beading on my fore
head. My breath came with more and
more difficulty. l was literally chok-
ing myself to death.
One day." continued Olney, Its
Jack do this, the next Jack do that, or
Jack go there. She seems to think
that sne's the only girl in New York;
II | hadn't Strengthened up l should
have pitched headlong to the floor in
fainting tit, and although l could feel
that my face was on fire at the thought
OF the possibility that by that girl"
he might mean Miss Brewie, resolved
to know the worst.
What girl is bothering you now,
Jack?" l asked, making Il desperate ef-
fort to keep my voice steady aad reach
ing up after q book in order that he
might not catch glimpse of my burn
ing cheeks.
why, that stunning brunette, Beth
Brewie," he blurted out, n nchalantly,
as he busted himself rearranging his
Beth Brewie?" I repeated, in tone
hardly above whisper, for my tongue
smote against my teeth like a bit of
leather.
Yes, old fel, that's what said" he
replied with a laugh, but you act as if
l were kidding you. There's her let
ter: read it yourself and then tell me
if she's not u queer lot.
Should l, or should not? Would it
be manly, would it be honorable to read
what Beth had written to this man?
AS yet she had not promised in so
many words to be my wife. True, my
arms had encircled her, our lips had
met. Was that not enough? Love
needs not to speak by the card, to put
it's thoughts into words like hucksters'
bargains. And yet have I not a right
to know what Beth has written to this
young popinjay? Has not Beth herself
told me that if love and suspicion once
touch palms they are forever after
sworn friends? At this moment some
one called Olney, and he started to
walk away.
Jack, called out, here, you're
your letter."
ooh, have no use for it, tear it up
after you have have read it," he made
answer, as he walked away.
The door closed behind him. was
alone in the library. must not leave
Beth's letter lying there where he had
tossed it. must at least pick it up
and destroy it. AS l reached out for
the sheet of pale-blue paper and drew
it toward me, faint odor of white
rose, her favorite perfume, reached my
nostrils. It thrilled mo first, and I |
could feel the weight of her soft hand
laid caressing on my hair, but then as
the thought flashed through my mind
lo< 1nf% oll