Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-10-13

secret why he does It, or he will set
some scandal ahoat about her. He did
nothing Of tho kind. He treated her
with the most delicate and respectful
attention. He took every chance Of
meeting her. He seemed Mt FIRST to de-
sire nothing moro than to be forever her
humble and silent w~Orshiper.
Once OF twice as she stepped from the
carriage up the strip Of carpet to some
party to which Wysloup had not been
invited she saw him standing in tho
crowd, half in shadow, cloaked, watch
ing her with raptured eyes and a roman
tic air rs impressive as the advertise
ments Of the multiplex sock. On the oc-
casions when he did meet her he by no
means monopolized her. He took with
humble gratitude os much Of her society
as she vouchsafed to him. He remem
bered and showed her that he remem-
bered every word she said and every
preference TINT she expressed. He was
reYerent and chivalrous with her. His
manner was perfect. lie was splendid
He was Elizabethan.
I do not think Elsa had been treated
with abnormal reverence before. She
luxuriated In it. She ceased to say any
thing that could imply that Wysloup
was fond Of her, yet sho talked a good
deal Of him. She told me one night that
he was tho only man she knew who had
a really noble nature. 1 said: GAN right,
but let it stop ut that. Don't marry
him." Sho said ecstatically hat one
would not marry Sir Galahad. I said
that ! had never tried. Then she told
me that ] was vulgar, which was fairly
true.
OF course a week or two efterward she
came 10 me with a l9tter in her hand.
you know" she began, that poor,
dear mamm does not like Nj. Wys'oun.
Sho asks him 90 things sometimes be-
aus 1 make her, but she hates him"
'Yesr"
"JYofl, I'm in great trouble. He's
written to me-a proposal, and have
accepted him. Obi OIL hadn't expect
ed it, and I'm not worthy, and l never
called any one Algernon before in my
life. Iwant you to break it to ann
and tell her it's all right"
"You won't like it. He's going abroad
to look after the colonial interests of the
multiplex sock. You had better write
and say that you've changed your mind.
What's that letter you've got therey"
'It's his. It's the letter. can't bear
to let it get out Of my hands"
'The address on the envelope" ! said,
lis not in Wysloup's writing"
"WeI, it is the same as the writing in
the inside and the same as the accept
ances no wrote to our invitations. !
wish we hadn't destroyed them"
Invent to a drawer and pulled out a
sheet Of note paper. "There," | said, u
saw Wysloup write that and sign it.
Compare it with the letter. / have
known Wysloup's handwriting for
years."
1t took M time to convince her, but ]
did it. She became slightly illogical.
She said that Wysloup ought to be
ashamed of himself, and that it obvious
ly was not he who had played her the
trick and that l was much to blame for
introducing him to her-which, by the
way, l never did. She also said that il
would kill her, but it didn't.
This is the reply she received to her
acceptance in Wysloup's own handwrit-
ing;
DEAR Miss HARDING-I gather from your
letter hat some person has been writing TO
you n proposal In my name, and that you have
been q victim Of n vulgar practical joke. ]
must thank YOU for the very warm and 1atter-
ing expressions that you used about me, and ]
am indeed sorry that / cannot plead a right TO
them. But shall hope % be always a brother
to you. Itcame TO my knowledge a few months
ago that you had coupled my name with yours
in o very unjustihablo way. ] shall therefore
retain your letter rs q hostage. As long as you
refrain from taking such liberties in tho future
no one viii see that letter but myself. Again
apologizing for my inability TO DO to you all
that you would wish, | remain yours respect
fully, ALoEREoN WYsLoUP.
Elsa spent a vast amount of tears,
gasps and torn handkerchiefs over this
letter. How dare n man say that he
will be my brother" she exclaimed.
Then she once more referred TO the prob
ability of her immediate decease.
Wysloup left England a few days aft
erward, and we never found out whom
he had got to write tho letters for him.
For all we knew be may have disguised
his own handwriting.
When Elsa married Sir Peter a year
afterward, Wysloup ent her as q we'd
ding present a gold b~onbonniero with her
love letter folded small inside it. He
once more showed the relics of a con-
science.
A few weeks afterward l caught Elsa
speaking Of Wysloup to a dear friend.
ayes" said Elsa sweetly, there was
something between us, but it could never
be. He left England, you know, directly
afterward. do so hope that his life Is
not quite spoiled"
So Elsa struck the last blow. But then
she was never hampered oven by the rel
les of a conscience Sketch.
Tho nasl. Of Good coaee.