The Opelousas courier., 1893-11-11

suffering such pain | was never gen
tie enough to win YOUR love. Beth
Did you ever try, Tom
Il thought I did.
Didn't you take everything TO
eranted-that you loved me and tina
I cared fof you, and that III the cours'
Of human events it was natural anf
proper that We should get married.
"Perhaps SO, he answered quietly
and then the carriage stopped, thu
driver was at the door, and Elizabetl
was carried up to her room.
It was an obstinate, ugly sprain, ant
held its victim a prisoner for six Ions
weeks. The party went on to Alaska.
leaving Mrs. Murray and her daughter
at the hotel, and, quite as a matter o
course, Tom Barclay called often. B.
was wonderfully gentle toward thu
woman who had refused to be his wife
Elizabeth did not know that he wa!
trying to win her love, but Mrs. Muir
ray was well aware of that fact, anC
we'll satisfied, too. ToK was vel
established in the old business il Port
lana, and again on the road to wealth,
She had always liked him, anc
ehrewdly suspected that his presence
on this planet had something to dc
with her daughters strange indiffer-
ence to certain brilliant matrimonial.
chances.
As for Elizabeth, she was utterly
content and happy during the period
Of invalidism that confined her to the
house. What cared she for the beau,
ties Of Alaska, Of (which her friende
wrotG such glowing descriptions Did
she not have long talks with Tom
every other evening? Though she
took care that he knew nothing Of her
qu%lckening heart beats and bounding
pulses whenever he approached.
Elizabeth had been able to walk for
| a week. Her friends were due IN two
days On their return trip, and she and
her mother were TO Join them and
start Immediately for home.
Nj. Barclay asked the conyalescent
to take a ride with him. He was thirty
one, Elizabeth twenty-five, Mrs.
Murray did not think a chaperon nee
essary, neither did Tom; they went
alone.
They were far better acquainted
than in the days when they were en-
gagged, Miss Murray admired the
honest courage, The preserving indie
pendence with which her friend was
building his fortune, and Tom loved
her as he always had. and az he always
would. and had learned to show his
affection III many of the thousand
ways that delight q woman's heart.
They talked of the scenery, Of her
accident and then of the coming part
ing, Suddenly Tom exclaimed
ooh, Beth, my darling, give me q
word of hope before you goi You
were mistaken IN the old days. l
always loved you, and now that We
have met again I cannot let you GO out
OF my life forever! -
IF you always loved me, why have
you been silent all these years. in
quired Elizabeth.
because I was stunned that night
when [ left you, realizing that by my
own stupid laundering 7 lost you.
Then [ set myself to do a penance. !
said: 4 will wait five years if another
wins her I shall know that she could
never love me if not, perhaps I will
try again to gain her love; perhaps I
shall better know her. You know the
rest. The crash came. I had tocome
West and begin over. ] am not as rich
as I was then, but there is every pros,
pect that [ shall be, and I know, Beth,
that money makes no difference.
can give you everything you want,
even the dressmaker, and indeed,
darling, that speech Of mine was only
the outcome of bad temper, and
hesitatlngiy-"perhaps I understand q
woman's moods a little better now
than then"
There was a short silence, while Mr..
having made his plea, waited
for the verdict, At length Elizabeth
said, softly:
perhaps l loved you then, Tom.
could never care for anyone else. |
compared other men with yor,
% their disadvantage. If you care to
come. after some time, I will be your
Out of an inner pocket Tom took a
my morocco case, and opening it,
Miss Murray saw the solitaire that had
'een her engagement ring. !
Il have always carried it with me-"
le said, simply, because you had
worm it,"
Somehow the tears sprang into Eliz,
beth,s eyes when he slipped it Oh her
Mrs. Murray was not at all sur
'rised when her daughter announced
nth several bushes that she was going
o marry Thomas Barclay,
Il always thought you would" that
replied, calmly.
The next winter Tom went East
fter his bride. They are happier tnan
hey would have been without that
.uarrel, a blending of comedy and
Ugh tragedy, but it does not follow
nat anyone should go and do like
-ise,-St, Paul Globe.