The herald., 1896-03-03

and they walked together. "Is 1t true yo,
are leaving Uppercombe?" she asked pres
emily
Perfectly true"
"Then you have sold your practice?"
"Well-it was principally a question o.
getting the house and so forth of my hands
but l have every reason to believe the mat
ter will be settled this afternoon"
"Dr. Lester" Edna exclaimed, as he
halted at the post office, eff l were you. /
I would not run away from ;-but perhaps
you have some entcng place to fly to-"
NO" he answered; 81 am fortunate
enough to have the wide world to choose
from-except this one spot. and" he added
this is the best ald the worst on the face
of the earth"
Surely you can-you can stay II you
please" she said. By tacit consent they
turned their faces toward the country.
"No. Miss Sinclair; things are too un-
promising
"But you will live 1t down" she urged
Suppose the same-the same misfortune
had happened to DR.. Andrews"
HE could have borne with it: his reputa-
| tion was made. Mine has been spoiled in
the making. as far as Uppercombe is con-
cerned. Honestly. l am positive that nc
power on earth could have saved Strange
ways life. l am equally positive that was
injudcous in performing the operation my
self: so that. IN a way. I was to blame.
Anyhow. It has ruined my practice"
But if you could only stay your practice
would come back. People are very tickle.
1t isn't every doctor who can buy practice,
yet they manage. How do they do it?"
He held open a gate for her to pass
through into meadow as she spoke. The
sun shone brightly and the hedges were
fragrant with wild rose and honeysuckle.
"Oh, there are various ways he eX-
planned. "Some take parish work, but ain
too unpopular to attempt to get that even if
there were an opening at the moment. 9th
ers receive resident patients-lunatics, hypo-
chondriacs and so forth
Then couldn't you take patients? Would
not that enable you to-to stay at Upper
combe?"
"oh, yes; only first should have to take
a wife. Miss Sinclair"
| He turned to look down at her face and at
the same moment Edna leaned across the
ditch to pluck a spray of honeysuckls No
sooner had she recovered her balance than
she began to pull the blossom to pieces.
'Well. DR.. Lester" she said, looking up
suddenly.
"Ah. that sort of thing Is over as far as
l am concerned" he answered.
| She beat her foot petuantly on the grass.
Il don't zee why. if it would-if it
would really help you.''
| He leaned forward eagerly. She bent her
neck to smell the honeysuckle.
Edna" he muttered, you are trifing
with me-"
She shook her head slowly.
| "Hut you-you said"
'Is it generous to remind one of a mis-
take?" she retorted.
Il am not in position. Things are at a
very low ebb--''
"The tide will flow again" she said. "and
and l have three hundred year of my
own
What will your brother say?"
"Oh," she cried, ~ am not child. I am
a woman. and have right to please my.
self; though to be sure" she added, "yot
may not think have played very womanly
part this morning"
She looked very demure very pretty, o.
she stood dseecting the honeysuckle, anC
perhaps he would have been more thar
human to have resisted. In truth. when
once he perceived that she loved him, he
was inclined to throw caution to the winds
But he saw that the possession of a wife
especially Of wife with small fortune
of her own, would open fresh possibilities
to him; that he would with her help, be
enabled to tide over the evil days and
when, as they strolled on and on acrcss thg
fields, oblivious of time, he learned that hei
happiness was as deeply involved aa his, he
paid her what Edna thought The highest
compliment possible.
eve will face it together" he said. "Yor
will be my comrade as we'll as my wife
my best beloved you know you have beer
since the first week saw you"
Presently she limited at the desirability
of returning.
"Ah, yes" he answered, II ought to lose
no time in seeing Sinclair"
4.
said, and returned home alone, not withou
trepidation.
That afternoon she took Gertrude into he
confidence.
"Now," she concluded. "you must tel
Alfred It isn't that l am afraid, only
don't want him to say anything we shoult
both regret all our lives. Nothing he cal
say will make the slightest difference, s
he may as we'll yield with good grace"
you know, darling" said Gertrude. "yo,
will miss things awfully."
wait for year" was the answer. "Yo
will see by that time. BY the by, of cours
you must make an excuse to DR.. Blenkin
sopp."
"Oh. OF course" said Gertrude. IN fact
between ourselves, I have never been quit
satisfied. Oh, l do hope Alfred will com
home in good humor!'
AS matter of fact, he did, and. withou
much loss Of time, Gertrude broke the news
During the ensuing ten minutes she forme
the highest opinion OF Edna's diplomacy.
was quite as well that her sister-in-law wa
not present. The strongest man, however
must bow to the inevitable. and Alfred pos
sessed sufficient discrimination to perceiv
that he was powerless to move his obstinat
sister He raved for some time longer. the
sent for Edna. and prophesied all kinds {
evil-a prophecy destined to remain ur
fulfilled. Upon my word" he concluded
'you're-you're just like a woman
And on the whole, Lester met with NOR
cordial reception than he anticipated
Household Words.