Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-08-09

human nature or course he'll never
write to you. He's just been making
a fool of you this summer"
L don't believe it," the younger wo-
man interrupted, angrily resenting the
allusion to her being duped by any one.
Il can not see why he doesn't write,
but [ know well enough that he is not
false. Ours was not summer engage
ment only; it was as sacred to him as
to myself. THIS silence Is unexplaip-
able, but I shall not doubt him..
In the recesSes of her heart Miss
Darrell may have sympathized with
her niece but she only expressed con-
tempt for such romantic trust in the
sincerity of 4 wooer who had been
known but one summer, and the dis
cussion ended there.
Charles Williams was puzzled and
angry. decidedly so. To the best Of his
knowledge he had written thirty five
letters to Miss Millicent Darrell, the
younger, in as many days, not one Of
which had she deemed worthy of an
answer.
''She's just like the rest Of EN-" he
told his best friend when lamenting the
fact.
$50 innocent and true she seemed
too. What fool | was to believe her.
She's nothing but COMPOUNDED flirt
I'll think no more about her"
Contrary to his declaration of intend
ed forgetfulness, he thought more about
her than ever, and the consequence was
that he went down to Chelsea station
the next day to investigate the case.
The explanations which directly fol
l.. Ii.
person of the faithfulness of the other,
and Miss Darrell acknowledged her in
ability to interpret ones nature from
the physiognOIny.
But there was one question confront
ing them, where were those letters?"
Thirty-five epistles, all heavy laden
with deepest feeling, could hardly have
gone astray. The only possible solution
was that some one must have taken
them, but who could it have beenf
Miss Darrell left the lovers discussing
the point. and, putting on her bonnet
and shawl, went quickly down to the
postoffice. The deacon was alone.
''Silas Gardiner" she said coolly, II
want my niece's letters"
What do / know about Miss Milly's
letters?' he asked, with assumed care
lessneSs.
You know everything about them"
she said, looking at him unflinchingly.
I've been wondering about this thing
for weeks. | understand it all now.
They were Milly's love letters and you
thought they were mine. AS if an old
woman like myself would be guilty of
such nonsense! suppose you have hid
den them or destroyed them For
shame Silas Gardiner, to resort to such
trickery to prevent some other person
from having what you yourself are too
big a Ounce to ask for"
He went to his desk and taking out
the bundle of letters, gave them to her,
saying:
Here they are. I pray you not to
expose me. | did it because of my love
for you. I could not bear
He said no more. 1t was not neces-
sary. He could not have made a more
eloquent plea. A woman will forgive
many q grave Offense if you will but
tell her it was committed through love
for her.
The culprit was pardoned, and it is
with authority that we state that he
never was guilty Of Il similar transgres-
sion.
Just after Christmas that year Miss
Darrell received the following telegram:
Dear Aunt was married yestcr-
day.
"Milly Williams"
TO which the elder lady replied:
Dear Milly-So was t.
NIillicent Gardiner"