The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-11-15

love TO another woman?
And she had cared for him so deeply
her faith in him had been 30 entire
And her love for him had so filled her
heart and her life Oh, it had been
no light matter to her.
And now-what? She could not
find relief in tears, as she asked her
self that wrenching question.
She felt frozen, benumbed. She
sat motionless, and stared up at the
first faint star in the gray skin.
"Nettie" a voice called, impera-
lively and half impatiently.
It was Stanley Mayhew's, and he
followed it. He came hurrying up
the bank.
'Mrs. Loney told me she saw you
coming up her. What on earth
You must have known I'd be there.
Or, no; told you the eight o'clock
boat, didn't I? Well, 1 got through
before thought should, and here 1
am"
He threw himself down beside her,
a sbedowy form in the dimness, and
patted her hand by way of greeting;
nor did he notice that she drew it
away quickly and far.
He was laughing, and when he had
paused a moment to get his breath, he
began to explain why.
"Now, what do you think?' he de-
manded. "Now guess I've just seen
Eleanor Wells. What do you think
she told me?"
Nettie shivered.
"Well, they're engaged" said her
lover, with an air of triumph.
What did he mean? she wondered.
But she did not care. What difference
did it make what he meant? What
difference could anything make now?
They're engaged" he repeated
''The trouble is over, the storm is
ended, and they've got into smooth
waters, with the matrimonial port in
plain sight. OF course she's told you
all about Leonard? Talked to you
about him for hours, 1 suppose?"
''No?" he went on, though Nettie
had not spoken. 81 can't believe it
| And you such chums
"Well, I've told you about Leon
ard, you know-my next older brother
who went to California in April to
manage mining syndicate-the clev-
crest fellow you ever saw.
"Well, he and Eleanor were en-
gagged. Really, didn't she tell you?
Why, that's part of our family record,
for it's an old affair. The Wells chill
dren and we uns' used to play dolls
and tag together, You know, and it has
always been settled thing, somehow,
that Eleanor would marry Leonard
when they got old enough, because
they were always sweet on each other.
''Well, they had been regularly en-
gagged for year or so, when 10, and
behold early this spring they had
tiff.
''It was all about young Spaniard
that Eleanor didn't care any more
about than she does about me; but
the spat grew into quarrel, and the
quarrel ended in Eleanor's sending
back poor Lens ring and all his pho
tographs and tin types and presents.
81 believe there was packing box
full of them, and Fred and / arranged
them in his room, and put Grape over
the door. But we were really broken
up about it, all of u.s. Mother was
actually sick for week. And Len
Len was a mental wreck.
''He looked like ghost He said
he'd got to get away, and first we
knew he'd packed up and gone off to
California to manage asyndicate.
'1've been glum enough over it. I
! knew Leonard thought the world of
her, and that she-well, I'll come to
the point, said Stanley, with another
breezy laugh 81 met Eleanor down
at the house Just as got there, and
she told me that it's just fixed up.
"She said she knew oil the while
that she was to blame, and the other
day she mustered up courage to write
and tell Len so, and the very next day
she got a long letter from him.
"He vowed he was in the wrong,
and wanted her to forgive him and
! take him back, and so forth aud so on.
Their letters had crossed each other;
the spirit had moved them both almost
at the same time. So now they're
both back in their seventh heaven.
81 don't see why Eleanor never
told you. She's just the girl to con
tide her troubles to a sympathizing
girl friend. But you say you didn't
know-Hello! I" He had lighted
match for his cigar, and playfully held
it to her face. ''Nettie, what's any
thing"
But Nettie grasped his coat-front
with two tremulous little hands.
''And when she told you-you kissed
herr" she queried.
'Did you guess that?" he asked,
laughing. "Of course l kissed her,
| was so glad, l didn't know what was
doing but i should have given her
that kiss of brotherly affection and
congratulation if 1 had known. Why,
Nettie-why. dear"
She was sobbing softly. OF course