Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-10-03

"Of little consequence, as You say"
"rhe one important thing is that l
have made great discovery all
through that album. You guess what
it is, kate?"
"rhat-thst-" she stammered.
"That Miriam Mowbray loves mel"
l said triumphantly.
She glanced at me again with tina:
look had just before seen in her eyes
half pity, half wonder; then she
said TREMENDOUSLY:
"You-you will speak to her to-
morrow, will you not?"
Eyes. Kate. You are the only one
to whom have whispered my secret !;
and-and | know you wish me good
luck in my wooing."
I'm that and in all things, Bob?"
The sweet eyes looked straight into
mine, as she held out her hand held
it for a moment; then she withdrew it
hastily and escaped from the room.
The next day / visited the Now
brays. The time was opportune. Mr..
Mowbray was out, but Miss Mowbray
was in.
l hurry over that disastrous inter-
view. urged my suit with what elo.
quence I could command. My pro.
posal was at first received with chilling
silence, and then came the crushing
intimation that it was declined.
I will do her the justice, however,
to say that she let down fellow AS
gently as the circumstances would per.
NIT.
She acknowledged to me that she
loved another, and believe there were
tears in her eyes-1 am certain there
were in her voice--as she made the
confession. Her father, she candidly
admitted, was opposed to her lover,
and had declined to sanction his ad.
vances. He had promised, however,
to reconsider his verdict in the event
of the young fellows prospects inn
proving in three years. That time
had nearly elapsed. Until that line
had elapsed they had given their sacred
word of honor that the secret OF their
love for each other should not be dis.
closed, and they had further promised
that no communication should pass
between them.
I could not but admire woman who
remained thus faithful both to her
father and her lover, even though that
fidelity proved at the same time the
death blow to my hopes.
think that stammered out some.
thing to that effect as I bowed myself
from the room, and kept asking my
self: "Who is the mysterious lover?
And why was she so absorbed in my
portrait in the album"
Life seemed very blank to me when
l stood once more in the street. What
should 1 do now? Iscarce knew. One
thing, however, was very certain. BE.
fore did, anything must first con.
suit my 81 um-my chum Kate.
turned my steps to her homo. Here
a greater disaster awaited me. Kato
had loft Templeton that morning on a
visit to an aunt in Durham. 1t was
quite uncertain when she would re-.
turn, but she would not he back for q
month, at least.
1t was not until q day or two had
passed that l began to realize all I had
lost in tho sweet companionship Of
Kate. 1t was not merely her loyalty,
her unfailing brightness and sympathy,
but not till then did | understand the
gap she had filed in the last three
years in my life.
You will say that was tickle, i'm
questionable, infrm OF purpose, lack
ing resolu.i lion and knowledge Of my
own mind. Well, I am content that
that charge should be made against
me. My simple reply is that you did
not know Kate. She was one Of those
who. by their very unselfshness. are
never adequately valued until you miss
their voice, their smile, their hand.
Most of us pursue our illusions. My
illusion was Miriam Mowbray. Slowly
I began to see that in the background
of that illusion there was a reality
Kate Brand.
Barely month had elapsed when
there came the news that Kate was ill.
should have liked to have gone to
her and console her, as she so often
consoled me; but what could / do in
the circumstances?
twas my practice to visit the Brands
daily, to make inquiries--how anx.
iously they could not guess-about
Kate.
One morning I found an array OF
trunks and travelling bags in the hall.
For a moment I thought she might
have returned, and my heart leaped
gladly to my mouth. But who should
come forward and clasp me warmly by
the hand hut Guy-Guy Brand, her
brother-returned from the Cape!
"Guy !" exclaimed.
"Bob, old fellow! You scarcely
expected to see me, did your" he
said, seeing my look of ASTONISHING nt.
'Tndeed, I didn't"
I might have added, that, next to
seeing Kate, his was the most welcome
face could have seen.
"Come, Bob," he said, taking me
by the arm in the old familiar way Of
our college days, II have much to say
to YOU"
He took mo to the room--the Ii.
brary-where had my last interview
with Kate. How often l had since
recalled it.
eve are old chums, Bob," he said,
"and I am going to speak to you
frankly. am far from spiritualist,
hypnotist, or anything of that kind /;
but there must be community of
spirit between us, for l find that.
though so far separated from each
other, we have been on the same
track"
"The same track" I repeated.
scarcely knowing what to make Of
this strange preliminary.
eyes, on the same track. First,
answer me one question-are you still
enamored with Miriam Mowbray?"
I was staggered by the question.
How should he know that l had been
cnamored with Miriam Mowbray? He
was searching me with his eyes as lie
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