Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-18

follow the quartermaster would be
fruitless errand, not knowing In what
direction he had gone; and it would be q
needless trial to himself, Us we'll as en-
barrnssing to Jane, were he to wait here
for his return. The sooner the note was
sent the better. and Mrs. Knox could for
ward it as well as her husband. He gave
1t into her hand.
1T was to give him this note. But II
you see that it reaches, it will do as WELL"
She glanced at the superscription, but
rs she saw that it was addressed to Ser
geant Lynn, her careless expression was
changed for one of vivid interest.
From Jane? Oh. Colonel Prinsep,
have you persuaded her to break off that
terrible engagement" she cried. eagerly.
Not exactly that, but l hope 1t will
come to the same thing. She has written
to beg him to release her. If he does
and l scarcely think he could refuse-yon
must be prepared to reconsider the sub
ject Of u sOn-in-law, Mrs. Knox"
She atared at him. scarcely understand
ing. That some happy change Of pro-
gram was impending she realized, but
not what the extent of that change would
be.
You won't object to me?' he asked
her, smiling
Her whole face became radiant, as she
saw her life's ambition at last likely to
be fulfilled. In her gratitude she could
almost have knelt before him and kissed
his feet, only that she recollected she
must keep up her dignity for James sake.
Recollecting. too, the fate which had been
SO nearly hers she could scarcely restrain
her delight.
a mo ha IA of n
er in India" she cried.
You ought to be 3d." he returned,
gravely. You have the noblest daugh.
ter"
Knowing all that she had done In the
vain endeavor to shake James determiua-
ton to be true. Mrs. Knox had the grace
to feel and look ashamed.
The Colonel brought the conversation
to close. He had already said moro
than he intended, but he felt the need Of
a confidante all the more that he had put
such restraint upon himself in his inter-
view with Jane. He put out his hand to
say 'good-by."
Then l will leave the note with you,
and you will send it on at once. l ex-
pect l shall see you again shortly. Di-
rectly Jane writes for me, l will come"
1t was eight o'clock when the messen-
ger returned, and Mrs. Knox was the
only one who saw him arrive. She took
the letter quickly from his hand, and
turned it over as though she might guess
what was in it from the outside. Then
she saw that, il she pleased, she might
master the contents before her daughter
saw it; the envelope had been either In
sufficiently gummed, or In the sender's
haste he had not fastened it at all.
n hor lloh -
scarcely combatted the temptation which
assailed her, but taking it into the sit
ting-room, drew out the letter and spread
it open. To her surprise 1t was In James
own writing, and, as she Immediately
guessed, the very note she had written
two hours before.
She read 1t through to solve the mys-
terry of it's return. The letter, which had
no beginning. ran as follows:
'It is with deepest shame write to you
now, to tell you what ought to have told
you long ago. You must have guessed
that even when l FIRST promised to marry
you. there was no love for you In my
heart: but you could not know that since
then have learned to care for some one
else, who also cares for me, or l think
you would Of your own accord have done
rs 1 am going to ask you to do. want
you to give me up. No reproaches you
might heap on me could shame me more
than the sight Of what I have just writ
ten-after all my promises to be true to
you through all. My only excuse is per
haps that 1t Is truer truth to tell you all
now than to deceive you longer. And II
you still wish to hold me to my promise.
1 will do my best to make you . good
wife. though can never be loving one.
Be generous, Jacob. and release me II you
can-if not. am, as always, your sincere
friend, JANE"
Not until she had read to the end, did
Mrs. Knox discover the reply. 1t was
in one short sentences:
Heaven help me, cannot give You
up! ]. l."
CTo be continued.)