The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1895-11-30
CHAPTER XXI

Sergeant Lynn was off to Uattiabad, and
indeed had good cause for satisfaction.
She had played a very bold game aud
though Just now it promised TO be sue
cessful, the slightest contretemps might
render futile all her scheming, and mat
tiers would be worse than if She had
never interfered to mend them As she
had stood that Sunday afternoon with
her letter in her hand. a sudden tcnipta-
ton had assaied her, whose pronpfings
she had not been able to resist Il seemed
such a simple thing to cut off the one
short sentence at the bottom Of the page.
and to tear the letter in half was mn
afterthousht which seemed to give en-
phasis to the implied meaning of the re-
turn.
Mrs. Knox would not have resorted to
such an eXpedient had not her daughters
happiness as well as worldly welfare
been concerned. However unwilling, sh,
would have eventually resigned herself
TO the failure Of her ambitious plans had
Jane really cared for Jacob Lynn.
1t was probable the Sergeant might
write to Jane again. she thought. and 50
she had pcrforce to be on the alert lest
the letter might fall into other hands than
her own. She was glad that She had cou-
tempated the possibility when n day or
two later the letter came. 1t happened
that she was alone in the house when it
arrived; but so afraid was she of detec-
ton that she carried il away to her own
room and locked the door. Then she tore
open the envelope and read the letter
My own dear one it began. Il have
been wretched since your letter came. and
hoped you might out of your great good
ness, which | know we'll | have never de
served, write TO me again fuller explain
alton. ! like your noble frankneSs in hav-
ing confessed that you love some ono else;
and perhaps | ought to have released YOU
at your request. only could not. Jane-l
could not. And whatever YOU may fancy
now. | cannot but think that you will turn
10 me at last. loving me, nearly if not
quite So dearly as love you. They saw
women always forgive crimes committed
for their sake. then surely you will look
leniently on my fault of selfishness. You
see. | admit it; | know that | am selfish
and yet cannot muster up the courage to
try 10 live without you. If | lost you. |
should loSe hope aud drift | know not
care not where. You hold my future in
your hands. / am ordered To Hattiabad
and shall start by this evenings tram
IT first thought Of applying for another
70 {" in my stead; but then again |
thought that a short absence would do
me no harm-mIght III fact helm me to
win the only thing in the world that |
care 10 have" ! won't ask YOU to MARY
NE soon, after what YOU have said. Iou
shall take Your own time. hut write ONLY
line T. tell me that my case is not 81
hopeless as sometimes | think il is. Good
by my own dear love ana that We may
meet soon is the prayer Of your devoted
lover JACOB LYNN"
\ very weak letter, worthy of the
writer thought Mrs. Knox: but il might
have been all-powerfuI had ii fallen INFO
any other hands but her own She shud-
aered as lc pictured what would have
happened had she been less watchfui.
The downward course must be a vrrr
easy one for she felt not a tvinee of com
junction rs she destroyed this letter: nor
did She give one backward thought IL
the teachings Of the village school in
SomerSetshire, nor the high. if somewhat
narrow minded, principles she had i'm
hibed from the village curate
And 50 for the while all went we'll Mrs
Dene wrote Immediately upon receipt Of
the news-a letter full Of delightful con
ordinations and indeed everybody ey
pressed pleasure at hearing of the COL
oneFs engagement. Mesaii;ance though
II undoubtedly was. the Quarternla ster,S
daughter was 50 sweet ana fair that mos.
people forgot that fact and thought only
of the romance Of il
The wedding was 10 axe place on Tho
fourteenth. II was to be very quiet. only
the father and mother and Valentine
Graeme, who. after all was 10 act \,
hest man lane had only stimulated -i,-
she should be married in white.
1t would not seem like a marriage If
| wore my travelling dress" she had said.
pouung: and Stephen Prinsep. to whom
her slightest word was law. agreed with
her directly,
You will only want bit of orange