The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-20
HER LOVE LETTERS.

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"But you havo no right to keep them"
said /, 'now that you are not engaged to
mo any longer, Mr.. Howard
"Oh, my dear, he answered, ''you cam
not have all the advantagel You have
Tilted me, and you can say what you
please, and can provo the truth by our
correspondence. always kept the rough
draft of mine, and there's no law In the
land to make me give up my own letters"
"Gentlemen don't talk Of law they
think of honor" said l.
"Ab, whatever you please, Miss Travis
I suppose the fact that my grandfather did
not leave me his property, and the other,
that old Mr.. Javerell, hae half q million
to bequeath to his widow, have arranged
things as they are to be- Goodby, Miss
Travis"
But must have my letters back, and
that night as / sat up In bed thought Of
way to do 1t.
Benz meant Mr. Howard he was Ben
TO mo no longer-boarded with Malvina
Grcy's mother.
Malvina was girl you could trust She
was plain little thing, with something
the matter with her spine, but just as
sweet. i told her everything, and now
intended to tell her the facts OF the case
and get her to let me go into Ben's room
while he was away and look for my letters.
knew that Benz mean Mr.. Howard
was out by 8 o'clock, and at tapped
on the basement window, and Malvina,
who was making cherry pie, looked up
and saw me and opened the door herself.
And then and there I sat down and told
her all about it and about the letters.
''And / want you to help me to get
them Malvina, " said Ito let me get
into Mr.. Howart's room and take what be-
longs to me. And you will, won't your"
1T is a splendid idea," said Malvina
"You'll have to wait until lunch Is over,
and Miss Peek aIAl Mrs. Jones gone out
Then ma will lie down for a Lap, and Bid
dy will be getting things ready for dinner,
and Sarah rubbing the forks and glasses,
and there will be no lady boarders on that
floor I'll get the pass key--of course we
have one for every room. Now, do stay
for lucch, darling"
And cold shivers ran up my back when
Malvina unlocked the door and we were
really in the room-his room.
al suppose he keeps 0ae letters In his
desk" said she. II know he doesn't put
them In his trunk, but this key unlocks
all the bureau drawers and desks in the
house. We keep IL to lend boarders when
they lose their key rings. Now, / shall
lock you In and sit on the stairs to keep
watch though nothing can happen. III
come for you exactly at A."
/ drew chair to the desk and sat down
and unlocked it.
There was nothing inside but some note
paper and little package Of Illegal cap"
and pens and inkstand and a blotting pad.
/ shut the desk and looked in the drawer.
There was q cigar box.
"Oh, dear" 1 thought, where can look
nowi" And was about to try my key on
the bureau when heard the street door
open and bang shut and feet ascend the
stairs.
Then key ratified in the lock, and did
the only possible thing to avoid discovery
at least for moment
There was wardrobe closet with por-
there before IL. ran toward 1t and stood
bolt upright in the corner as Benz mean
Mr.. Howard-entered, followed by another
man.
They shut the door and sat down. They
Lit their cigars.
"Bcn, +" said the strange person, "you
are not looking we'll"
.I'm feeling wretchedly," said Mr..
Howard. 81 wouldn't tell another fellow,
but believe my heart is broken--there,
don't laugh. You SEQ that photograph on
the mantclpieces"
s.We were engaged to each other" said
Ben, land / loved her better than my life,
and thought she was very fond Of me.
But you know how grandfather cut me
out of his will, and then rich old fellow
began to call upon her, and she picked q
quarrel with me-that's all. She's mer-
cenary little wretch, but III am . fool,
Henry.
.'I love her still. shall keep her photo
graph all my life--and her letters, to read
and kiss--I would not give them up"
"Stuff and nonsensel" said this Mr..
Henry-heartless brutel-"you'n find Q
better girl in no time"
"There is but one woman in the world
for me-" said Ben. There, now, I've
done. You know my trouble. I'll hide IL
from the world, and you will never speak
Of 1t to any one, / know"
"Youu not haze any trouble In six
months, said that horrible Henry. Now,
you'll come up and spend your holiday
with me, won't your I'll just step out
and buy those things for my wife, and you
pack up what you need and meet me at
the depot.
1ucu llCilIy Wuiktu aWoys ohsA
yes, Ben, my poor Ben--took bundle OF
letters from his bosom and kissed them,
and took down my photograph and kissed
that, and then, having pulled valise from
the corner, he walked straight to the ward
robe and drew the curtain back.
The next minute was staring at him
and he at me.
''Is 1t her ghosti" / heard him say to
himself, and I-well, there / was-it was
not situation TO impart dignity.
1T is only mo In the flesh, Ben,"
said II wish i was a ghost, so that
could vanish. And now you can boast oil
your life, II you like-but ! am not going
to be wicked little wretch, and will say
something Firstly, ] did not care about
your grandfather's horrid money. Second.
ly, IL only meant to tin a little-not tc
break of, only TO frighten you. Thirdly,
I-I--oh, I've found out that you really,
truly love me, Ben, and-though 1t II bro
ken off-I-I want to knov-I used To
love you very much-and couldn't be 60
t,,., 80 N, m rrx, old Mr. Tayorall ho~a M