Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-01-15

The light of huge fire clashed with
the autumn dusk, wan with regrets and
memories. which had invaded the room.
The carved cedar wood bed was
pushed away into a corner, and the wom-
an had been moved to capaclous
chintz-covered sofa pulled close up to
the hearth.
She was terribly thin and white, the
weight of her mouse-colored chlgnon
seemed to drag back her delicate head,
she looked almost lost among the laceS
and furs of her loose gown, but she was
no longer dying, nor in any danger of
doing so; for this once Death had turned
away his head and passed her by.
And the man stood on the opposite side
of the hearth, watching her with all his
honest heart in his eyes.
'Oh-h!' she yaWned. I'm so tired, so
fearfully tired of doing nothing. How
tiresome that doctor is TO keep me here.
| feel just like a galley slave chained to
his OAR
He said you might, perhaps, be car
ried downstairs at the end of the week,
didn't hep
AT the end of the week! And only
perhaps! He's a regular old woman.
First, he-literally- frightened me nearly
to death. for | don't believe | was ever
as i'll as he said
WELL you were pretty bad, you
know" he reminded her, mildly.
Il was very Ill.
"You thought you were dying"
Eyes, | suppose | did, ihe result of
4 few moments thought was to make
her blush family. 81 seem to remember
that THAT we bOth-lOSt our heads
and behaved like the hero and the hero
inc of a Surrey melodrama,'' she said,
shamefacedly.
WELL put it in that way, if you like.
you were awfully cut up, weren't
you? Dear old boy! 1 never realized
of
[ had died. Ugh! don't let us talk about
She struggled down among the cush-
ions, and held out her transparent hands
to the blaze
There's one thing" he said ''That
letter, you know
His expression was considerably more
embarrassed than hers.
Letter."
.'.rhe letter you gave into my charge.
OF course, l didn't deliver it. Here it
oh
She held out her hand, and with a
scarcely appreciate hesitation he placed
the sealed envelope i'll il.
There was q moments silence while
she stared at the address with doWncaSt
eyes and an absolutely blank counten-
ance. Then. giving a half shrug Of her
shoulders, she tore the envelope across
and again across. He gave an irrepres-
sible start forward.
"Why have you-what made you do
that?' he demanded sharply.
Its done with, she said. 'What Il
dear, trusty creature you were to con-
sent to deliver it y
She bent forward ard tossed the strips
of paper into the very heart of the fire.
where they glowed and curled and shriy-
eled.
Tell me-oh, come closer. I can't
talk to you comfortably at that distance
off -
He approached rather slowly and as
soon as he got within reach, she took pos
session of one of his hands.
There's plenty of room at the foot of
the sofa" she remarked, and when he
sat down there she began playing with
the seal ring on his fourth finger
Tell me-you must have been rather
SURPRISED to find that l knew him.
That you know him." he corrected.
Il don't know him now, and | never
knew him very well. Men give him a
bad character, [ suppose?"
$50 do some women"
"He always had atrocious taste in
women" she said TRANQUILITY.
I'm your case -
''He didn't admire me-nor 1 him. We
Ioathed each other.
Yet you found it necessary to write"
She looked at his disturbed face, and
then at the glowing heart of the fire,
where what had been the letter safely re-
posed.
You have destroyed the letter. If
you thought you were again dying would
you write another?'
1T is possible she said
And give it into my charger"
why nOt?' She laughed and patted
his hand. I'm glad we understand each
other so well. If [ were a different sort
of woman or you a different sort of man,
there might have been endless disagreed
bies about my little letter-my poor,
harmless little letter. AS it is, you know
that -''
what do know?" he asked with sud
den evaporation, but she never f1inched.
Why, she said, softly, leaning to-
ward him; you know that I have been
and am yours--all and only yours You
know that as far as [ am concerned YOU
might have read every line of that letter.
| rather wish you had She glanced over
her shoulder at the Pickering flames.
NOW kiss me, dear boy, and go, for
I'm awfully tired
Shall | send the nurse?" he asked
with some compunction.
Please
Then as he would have gone she held
him back
Il don't want that letter to cause YOU
any annoyance she said, sweetly ''Of
course, have no right to reveal the pri-
yyate affairs of other people, and one of
them q woman who
Not for worlds,'' he exclaimed his
face clearing as he instantly caught at
the solution offered.
But if you feel you cannot trust me-"
she continued.
Not trust you!" his high-minded in,
dignation was quite delightful to wit
ness. MY dear child, don't talk non
sense. The address on the envelope gave
me rather a turn. because | hadn't the
remotest idea that you had ever known
the fellow. and he is an out-and-out ras-
cal, he really is. But as for not trusting
you. why the thing is preposterous"
Still, | wish you had read the letter.
There would have been no room for
doubt she broke off and looked at
him appealingly.
There is none,'' he assured her stout
~. Now. lie down and rest, there's a
dear, and I'll send the nurse to you"
SO with Il kiss be left her.
But it must be confessed that it occa-
sionally happens to him to wish that he
had read the letter.-Pick- Me-Up.
Romance Aas q Dreary End.