Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-11-21

and free face, were but the outward
signs of a noble, true heart, keen
sensitive honor, and a christian mind
And the simple girl, while she
felt that his attentions were sweet
his presence dear to her, never awokt
to the knowledge of her own love
till the CALLING suspicion that she
was being forced upon his notice
told her how precious his own free
ly offered love would have been to
her. The next day the friends
were in the city, and in the demurt
little figure that stood upon the
steps to bid them adieu, there was
little trace of the wounded woman's
heart that had passed the night in
the agony of unrequitted love.
Rodney Edmonds was q silent
companion OH the journey cityward
and Frank gave up trying to coax
him into his old merry self again
He was thinking of the lonely home
that awaited him, the long life Of
the longing for companionship, the
gifts of domestic love that all his
wealth could never buy; and in con-
trast he pictured the home he had
left, the fairy-like beauty, whose
hand shed its peculiar charm on
every spot; whose voice made music
in every room; whose loving heart
was broken by her adopted brothers
love, for so, in his blindness he in
terpreted the scene of the night
before, and his Indignation was
strong, sometimes, as he thought
that her happiness lay so near the
hand that had crushed it.
Two long years to Susy passed
before she saw Rodney Edmonds.-
Frank was married and living in
the city, and came but seldom to
Cliff Wharton. When he did, his
companion was Meta. Many times
they had urged her to come to their
city home, but she, pleading her
mothers loneliness, had refused;
and Frank, knowing her secret, let
her have her way. He had tried
many times to win Rodney home
with him, but without success. A
thousand pleas of business, prior
and what not, stood
always in the way. But in good
time the summons came.
Thus ran her brothers letter:
"SUsY DEAR:-I have strange,
sad news for you, and you must
come to us. Meta is ill, not dan
gerously so, | trust, but confined to
her own room; and | have another
invalid. Rodney Edmonds was on
the train at the time Of the collision
of the seventeenth, and badly hurt.
| had him brought here, for | can
not trust him to hired nurses
Come, little sister, and nurse Meta,
that my hands may be free for Rod
ney's wants. FRANK"
And she obeyed the call. Strict
ly she held her brother to the words
of his letter. She was Metals nurse
he Rodney's.
1t was a day when the early sum-
mer is just whispering of coming
glories, that Rodney Edmonds left
the room for the first time. Susy
was in the sitting-room when she
heard his voice in the entry, and
Franks cherry words of encourage
ment. There was no chance to run
away, so she turned the large arm
chair to the corner, and crouched
down till she could steal out in the
twilight unperceived. And
there, after much idle chat, when
the gathering shadows made con-
fidence secret, she heard Rodney's
error. She knew then how the
thought that she loved another had
kept him from Cliff Wharton; how
he had never let his heart stray
from its love for her, hoping that
time would erase Franks image;
and he begged as a man begs for
his life, that Frank would treat him
and tell him if the old
dream was dead, and her heart free
for another's seeking.
He would have spoken, when the
soft, little hand of his sister fell on
his lips to close them, and i'll the
nalf-darkness she knelt by Rodney's
couch. In a low tone, her bushes
hidden by the friendly twilight, she
old him all, and her little cold
hands and trembling tones showed
hat she was sacrificing her maid
,nly reticence to make his happi-
ness. No cloud Of such cruel doubt
md error must stay between them.
And when the golden head was
lrawn, oh! so closely to Rodney's
leart, Frank brushed off the tears
rom his own cheeks to say cheer
ly:
"She will prove a treasure, Rod
ley, she comes to you so we'll re-
om mandad