The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-08
The duhita naiIp Eag Thursday gorne, gnne 8, 1913
I can show You her last letter.

tie. Forrest glanced over it with be-
| wildered eyes, and then, biting his
white lip until the blood started, took
from his own pocketbook prettily
| worded note from Ella, which he had
received that morning.
THE handwriting is precisely SINH
lar. Ralph. we are the dupes of an art
| full, unprincipled woman. This same
| Ella Wardlaw, while she is correspond
| ing with you in this imprisoned Utrain,
! is doing her best to lure me on to a pro-
posal!'
1T cannot be-" gasped Ralph, feeling
as if he were in a dream.
But know it TO be SO! Heavens!
you, also, Thornby, should rejoice at
your escape from the wiles of false
hearted coquette!'
Still Ralph Thornby repeated, be-
tween his clenched teeth:
Il will not believe it-Ella is truth
itself"
''Shall we put it to the test?" asked
Forrest, rather Indignantly.
''Do what you please. I will stake
my life on her single-mindedness!"
Thornby took out pencil and dashed
off a hurried proposal in form.
THERE will send this tomorrow
morning, with request for an i'm. edi-
ate answer. When that answer comes,
will you believe its testimony"
Thornby nodded; but the hand which
lay upon Charles Forests was cold as
marble.
Good night, then, my poor fellow"
said Forrest, as he rose to take leave.
81 am sorry for you from the very bot
tom of my heart, for you feel this more
deeply than can do!''
But Thornby did not answor-he was
gazing absently into the fire.
Head and heart both ached sadly
that night; but the WEAKNESS of travel
was nothing to the sick sensation of
distrust and apprehension that had
taken possession of his mind. There
fore, it happened that he was still
lounging over his almost untasted
breakfast when Charles Forrest was an
nounced by waiter.
WELL was his greeting. Forrest
replied: 81 have dispatched my missive
and here is the answer. See, the seal
is yet unbroken-we will peruse it to-
gether."
1t was sl1illfully written note of
glad acceptance Ella wrote that 'she
had long loved Mr.. Forrest-that her
greatest happiness through life would
be to secure his contentment," with
variety of charming little addepda.
such as, yesterday, would have filed
Now, they were false, idle rhapsodies!
care you convinced?" was Forests
simple question. as the letter dropped
from his companions trembling hand.
Il am. It has been pleasant dream;
but l am effectually aroused at last.
Charley, l have been a fool-a dupe"
''And so have 1, Ralph; just give me
that enthusiastic love letter you showed
me last night" !:
What for?'
Charles made no reply; but he took
the letter from Thornbys unresisting
hand, and folding it with the note of
acceptance he had just received, wrote
one pencil line on the margin: "The
compliments of Messrs. Thornby and
Forrest" and inclosed both in one en-
velope, directed to Miss Wardlaw.
Ella Wardlsw was practicing diff
cult Italian sonata as the eventful note
was handed her. She tore it hurriedly
open. and gazed with wide-open, be-
wildering eyes upon the Enclosures.
The nett instant they felF from her
nerveless fingers.
Years have passed since then. Ralph
Thornby is married; Charles Forrest
has blooming wife, and two rosy little
girls; but Ella Wardlaw is hopeless
old maid, with not the faintest chance
of husband.-N. Y. News.