Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-09-18

row. My dear father died, leaving parel,
sufficient 10 pay his debrs. | was yer,
friendIess, we had lived away from al
our relations, and 1 waited and waited 70,
d letter from Mark, bur none came 70,
more than year Then | had a curiou.
epistie, bidding me farewell, and eyDres
sing deep regret for any pain he nigh
have caused me, but that marriage wa.
out OF the question for him. never re
Piled felt that chapter was closed for
ever. That was just after | went 10 liy.
with Miss Webster-an engagement Mrs
Atherley got for me-"
Il could never have believed that sucl
a man as Mr.. Winton would have acted
so basely," exclaimed Nora, her hear
beating, her eyes lit up with Indignation
How can you-
But, Nora" interrupted Mrs. LIE.
frange, quickly, .'it was not Red Mark
whom you know, who behaved in ti,ir
way. | do not fancy he ever was in lov,
in his life. Oh. no. 1t was his cousin
Our friend was always true and steady
well remember when, owing TO tn.
similarity of name, some knowledge o
his cousins engagement to me reached
him, he warned me against throwins
away n certainty for Il wfIi-o-the-wis7
dreadful time. Its bitterness and morti
fcation sting me still. My life. under it.
! new conditions, was dreary and tryinc
enough TO make NE very grateful 10 you,
father for giving me the chance of leavin;
it-and you know the rest"
Then" Nora paused, and, chang
ing her sentence, observed, DO yo,
know, | fancied, at one time, that vor
would marry Mr.. Wiutnu 2"
Mrs L'EstranGe laughed softly.
That is curious" she said. "for
fancied you and he were taking 10 each
other, until after the Evesleigh bali
when & sort of change came TO both o
you"
There was pause of a few minutes
The light died out of Nora's eyes-rh,
color from her cheek. al length sh
said:
Then you would not marry Mr.. Win
TOM
1t is extremely unlikely he would ever
ask me-" said Mrs. LEstrange. laughing
And as TO NE, all ideas Of love or matri
| mony are over forever. Bes is. and will be
my only love. | want no more"
a dull sense of despair numbed Norn'i
heart; il was few seconds before sh,
could collect herself 70 say:
al this?"
Yes; l imagined he did. He was yer,
friendly with Mark and continued Ia bt
after our friend, Red Mark, went out tc
India My fiance, as | fancied him to be
did not 90 till after. He was appointed
10 a regiment stationed at Delhi, aud, ]
believe, wa, very unfortunate and weak
Mr.. Wintou gave ne an account OF III.
later life. He died TWO years ago. haG
not heard anything of him for long time
and | was gTieved 10 think of his wasted
life, How well it is that the future il
hidden from Us. There, dear is III.
whole history"
The whole history. Mrs. L'Estrance
little dreamed what a sting it left in hel
stap-daughter' soul. Was Clifford Mars
den's memory really defective? Or, haG
! he misrepresented facts: Surely he va.
| too much OF gentleman 10 do so? \,
any rate, she Nora had been juggec
out Of the best chance of happiness ever
offered her; for she now felt convinced
Mark Wintou had loved her from III,
irst.
Dear Helen" she said, rising with AZ
effort, Il have kept you up 100 late; let IL
go to bed. What an extraordinary jun
bic life is"
Yes Is il not incomprehensib!e .
returned Mrs. LEstrange, kissing her
You look dreadfuily pale and tired
Nora
"Incomprehensibier' the word kept re
peating itself in fiery syllables all night
long; strive as she would, Nora could heal
nothing else. think of nothing else. What
an incomprehensibIe destiny that which
doomed her and the man that loved he,
well, as she now believed, TO separatio,
fOreveri
Was she deceived or only inadvertentl,
misled? IF deceived she would never
never forgive. And she must find out.