Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-05-16

into Mr.. Barclays gray eyes.
"Tom-Mr. Barclay" she STAN
mered, fighting the faintness that
nearly overcame her, and then rally
ing enough to understand that Tom
was asking anxiously. care you
hurt?" "A1y ankle is sprained," she
said, with white lips.
A crowd YVES gathering. A gentle
man offered his assistance, and Eliza
beth was taken to the nearest store,
while Tom called carriage and then
accompanied her home.
In spite of the pain Miss Murray
could not help looking ut the man
who was to have been her husband.
That individual met her eyes and
said:
"Well"
Miss Murray blushed painfully,
conscious that she had been staring.
at is so long since | have seen You,
and we used to he such good friends, "
she replied gently,
"Whose fault is it that you have
not seen me for SO long?' he demand
ed and, then, noting, her fading color
and pale lips, he said: "What n brute
] am to question you so when you are
suffering such pain / was never gen
tie enough to win your love, Beth"
"Did you ever try, Tom !"
81 thought | did"
"Didn't you take everything for
branted-that you loved me and that
| cared for you, and that in the course
Of human events it was natural and
proper that we should get married?"
"Perhaps So" he answered quietly !;
and then the carriage stopped, the
driver was ut the door, and Elizabeth
was carried up to her room.
1t was an obstinate, ugly sprain, and
held its victim prisoner for six long
weeks. The party went on to Alaska,
leaving Mrs. Murray and her daughter
at the hotel, and, quite as matter OF
course, Tom Barclay called often. He
was wonderfully gentle toward the
woman who had refused to be his wife.
Elizabeth did not know that he was
trying to win her love, but Mrs. Muir
rny was well aware of that fact, and
well satisfied, too. Tom was well
established in the old business in Port
land, and again on the road to wealth.
She had always liked him, and
shrowdly suspected that his presence
on this planet had something to do
with her daughters strange inditfer-
ence to certain brilliant matrimonial
chances.
AS for Elizabeth, she was utterly
content and happy during the period
of inyalidism that confined her to the
house. What cared she for the beau
ties OF Alnsln, of which her friends
wrote such glowing descriptions? Did
she not have long talks with Tom
every other evening? Though she
took care that he knew nothing of her
quickening heart beats and bounding
pulses whenever he approached.
Elizabeth hid been able to walk for
IL week. Her friends were due in two
days on their return trip, and she and
her mother were to join them and
start immediately for home.
Mr.. Barclay asked the convalescent
to take II ride with him. He was thirty
one, Elizabeth twenty five. Mrs.
Murray did not think chnperon nee
cssnry, neither did Tom; they went
alone.
They were fnr better acquainted
thnn in the days when they wero en-
gagged. Miss Murray admired the
honest courage, the preserving indie
pendence with which her friend was
building his fortune, and Tom loved
her MS he always had, and as he always
would, aad had learned to show his
affection in many Of the thousand
ways that delight II womnn's heart.
They talked of the scenery, of her
accident and then of the coming part
ing. Suddenly Tom exclaimed
"Oh, Beth, my darling, give me a
word of hope before you go! You
were mistaken III the old dnys.
always loved you, and now that we
have met again | cannot let YOU go out
of my life forever"
III you always loved me, why have
you been silent all these years2' in
quired Elizabeth.
because was slammed that night
when | left you, realizing that by my
own stupid laundering lost you.
Then | set myself to do n penance.
said: Il will wait five years; if another
wins her ! shall know that she could
never love me; if not, perhaps | will
try again to gain her love; perhaps !
shall better know her. You know the
rest. The crash came. | had to come
West and begin over. ! am not ms rich
Ms l was then, but thore is every pros
pect that | shall be, and know, Beth,
that money makes no difference
Gun give you everything you want,
even the dressmaker, and indeed,
darling, that speech of mine was only
the outcome of bad temper, and
hesitatingly perhaps understand Il
woman's moods little better now
than then"
There was short silence, while Mr..
Barclay, having made his plea. waited
for the verdict. At length Elizabeth
said, softly:
perhaps loved you then, Tom.
ppull mayor caro- for nnyDnp else