The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-17

AZ hAot anu PiOQN AdlSS UlnC WAS let
ting him do it. She found it strangel,
sweet to 'yicld even her pride to THU
sudden masterful tenderness and fire
that had replaced all his old reserve, as
he drew her into his arms and kissed
her lips and eyes and chestnut hair.
My queenly sweetheart, my own
wife that will be! How could YOU eve,
fear should think less of you for your
heavenly goodness in writing the letter
that brought me here to-day?"
She started away from him.
what letter? never wrote Won n
line in my life. What do you mean"
"But l received letter from Won
this afternoon
ii did not write it. Who has dared
make free with my name in this way?
What was the letter like? oh, is it all
ALA mistaken
"Fm sure it isn't Il mistake that we
love each other. and are going to be
very happy now that we know it, how.
ever it came about" firmly declared
Mr. barrow. "As for the letter, here
it is"
Miss Tame took it gingcrly, as one
touching Il snake.
ITS my paper, certainly; but what
writing! How could You ever suspect
me of it? And, oh, Alex, do You really
think | should spell three words wrong
on only one page? And the high
flown sentiments! But the matter is
worst of all Alex, how could YOU
help having sense enough to know that
/ never, never would have asked even
you'-to-to marry mc?"
She was laughing, blushing, happy
and veXcd all ut once
"Of cours l know better now" said
Alex. with great meckncss; 'but all the
same I'm profoundly thankful some
body wrote that letter and / made the
mistake. didn't notice the spelling,
and though l did wonder at the writ
ing a little, | never saw any of yours,
and l set down its faults to nervous
ness"
Nervousness, indeed, AS if any
amount of that could make me write
such hand. Who could have done it?
1t must have been some servant who
had access to my desk and stole my
paper Why, it's downright forgery to
sign my name to a thing like thatr'
II didn't signed my own name,
Marion Leslie Tainc," said small
voice.
They turned to behold Marjie-NIar-
jic, very pale and grave and deter
mined, who, true to her appointment.
had arrived on the scene to find her
lover in conversation with her aunt,
and to hear enough to know what her
proposal had done for them.
You wrote that letter." gaspcd Miss
Tainc the elder.
Marie nodded her chestnut curls.
Yes" She owned, in tones that sug-
gcstcd represscd sobs, 81 wrote it. l
didn't mean to steal your paper,
though did take some, because it was
more grown-up looking than mine. /
thought he was my lover; for he's al
ways been SO nice to me, and he isn't
near so much older than me as Strath-
more was than Lucille, either. And
Priscilla asked her lover to marry her,
because he didn't ask her himself, and
SO did some other girls in the novels,
and-and SOL thought could, too.
I'm glad did it, anyhow, for I'd rather
you and-and-he-should be happy
than II
The sobs came now in full force: but
Marion had her arms round the tiny
figure and the curly head on her
breast
oh. you poor baby!-you darling bit
of heroiIc!-you blessed little sim
pleton"' she cried, sobbing too. What
have we been thinking of to leave Won
to get such fancies and do such thinrs
out of your books? And yet cant help
being glad you did it, too. But You'll
learn better now, dearest, and your
own aunte will look after YOU, if your
if nobody else. does
I've learned be tier now" said Maj
JIG, solemnly. 81 didn't know you'd
never have done it, or that he'd want
to laugh at me-
If barrow had been inclined 10 laugh
land it must be owned that for one
pcrilous moment at first he had been
on the brink of open mirth), the small,
shame stricken face Marie lifted would
have cured him Of any desire to do SO.
You are mistaken in that last" he
said, gravcly and gently. "A man can
only feel honored by the preference of
young lady he respects, even if he
cannot fully return it; and, indeed, I
have always loved you as a very dear
little friend, for your own sake as we'll
as your aunts BE sure shall never
forget how much you have helped me.
and that want YOU to be good friends
with me still, and let me help you for
get all the disagreeable part of this"
Marie bestowed on him one long,
keen, suddenly searching look out of
her wide, innocent brown eyes, and
then gave him her morseI of hand
with heart-broken dignity.
-Four years make a great difference
in a small maiden's life, however, and
In this next lcap-year from that Mar
Jle, no longer pale and grave and too