The herald., 1896-03-03
".hen that is your last word, Edna?"

He stood looking down at her face, his
own exceedingly grave; tall man, about
tventy-eight years of age, with black hair
and a strengthening shaven face. He
looked reserved and self-coatained.
Edna shook her head.
mo-" she said; nothing. am afraid"
Ho drew in his upper lip beneath his
teeth. and his forehead wrinkled as he still
fingered.
"Well,'' ne said, ~ am immensely sorry.
don't want to bother you; besides, sup
pose il would nc. do a scrap OF good
Raising his right hand, be pushed back
his hair. 1T seems little difficult to re-
alize Jus. yet l counted Oh a different
answer"
''That was hardly my fault" she said,
lowering her eyes. They were dark blue
eyes. remarkably dark considering the fair
ness OF her hair and skin. Edna was a
email woman. below tho average as regards
height, and girlish In figure, though she had
passed her twenty first year.
Your fault: No. 1t was merely my own
folly. It doesn't mzttAr what one calls it.
Tho name won't alter the fact. OF course
Il Is play to you
''You have no right to say that, DR.. Les
ter. ! assure you. don't find it the least
amusing. am very sorry-not that sup
pose 1. will be quite your DEATH
NO" he returned. Men don't die OF
that sort OF thing. But life will be wretch
ed. Edna
Hs took his hat and went away, Edna
standing by the window and watching him
as he dejectedly crossed the garden and
passed through the gateway and disap-
pcared few minutes later the door op-
cned and a woman entered. a few years
older, and several inches taller than her
self. This was Mrs. Sinclair, Edna's sister.
iu-law, wife Of the town clerk Of Upper
oombe.
'Well?"
,6n -ko NaI {,,-% ,,tS1
"oh, don't look as If you didn't know all
about it!' cried Edna impatently.
'You don't mean to look ME in the face
and tell me you have refused hlm?"
II told you this morning."
What girl says beforehand goes for
nothing, Edna. what fool you are! You
know Alfred will be Just wild about it,
alfred did not think 1t necessary to con-
suit me-" was the answer. ''Of course, .
Edna added. drawing near and placing an
arm about Gerrudes waist, "cf course. it
would have been all the same if he had,
darling"
"Still, It does seem pity" Gertrude per-
sisted. Though he has only been year in
Uppercombe, everybody has good word for
him-or nearly everybody. He has increased
I'd DR.. Andrews practice enormously. I
oegin to think you are one Of the new young
women without heart
II don't think it's true bill, Gerty.'
anyhow. the organ isn't very easily
played upon. dear
IL am not sure. don't see why you
chould say that
''Dr. Lester is a man a good many girls
would"
Jump at! know. That is exactly what
feel about him. He is too eligible-sn t
that the word?-too eminently desirable"
''You have always seemed to like him.
II do like him, Gerty.'
Then, why in the name Of goodness dom t
you marry him and have done with lt?"
Edna slightly shrugged her shoulders as
she turned toward the window again.
Honestly l don't quite know. I don't
see why l should dssect myself for your
editcation He is very nice-a little too
nice. I tried to persuade mysef-tnere, you
see. I'm nothing if not candid. ONLY
don't know what it is; somehow, the spirit
Aidn't move me-
When Edna was following Gertrude from
Ahe dining room that evening Alfred Sinclair
sailed her back.
Permit me to remind you that you are
twenty-five" he said, taking out his cigar
cite case
"Be accurate. ALI. Twenty-Five and two
months
"of course" he continued, 81 need not tell
you we are glad to give you home here as
long as you require it. But, If you ask me
q woman is much better in place of her
own
1.-THE first that offers itself?" asked Edna.
81 didn't think Lester was the first. He
IL the best of the bunch, though. A fellow
who Is bound to get Oh"
"Of course that's everything"
"Oh, well. II you can't treat the matter
seriously, don't see the good of talking
Neither do ~ Edna answered
One afternoon Alfred came home from his
once looking more solemn than usual,
though the dignity of his position gave him
an air of extreme solemnity at the best OF
times. Like Edna, he was short. but car
ried himself at his full height; like his Sis
ter, again, he was fair, but appeared more
youthful than his years. He wore a mus
tache which looked too heavy for his pink
and white face.
'Sir Edward Strangeways is dead" he
said, pulling up his light colored trousers,
- he sat down.
'Then," remarked Gertrude, "the opera
tion was not successful"
''Now II it had been. don't you imagine
Strangeways would be alive, Gerty?" he
said. testify. "a bad days work for Les
ter"
"Why?" demanded Edna. CDR. Lester
cannot work miracles. He cannot cure all
hi1 patients"
saul among the prophets!' exclaimed
Alfred. zone doesn't look for Testers
apologist over there, Edna. He went the
wrong way to cure this one. / was talk
ing to Blenkinsopp about the case only yes
terday. Blenkinsopp would have had a
surgeon down from London. Money was nc
object. The plain fact is Lester ie over
confident"
II suppose" said Edna. 'Fthe strangeways
wished Dr.. Lester to operator"
THAT wont count Nothing succeeds like
SUCCESS, aud nothing fails like failure
"1 dare say Dr. Lester is quite as skillfu
as any dTrgeon in London" Edna returned
''Iie ynay be or he may not. How odd il
js tina. a woman can never see the eseentia
fac. C. :, case! Until now, Lester has car
r;e6 all before him. lie has used the knife
whers the steady going Old practitioners
would have let their patients slip. O
courss, he'.; worry up to date. ! dare say, ht
has saved few lyes---"
"oh. that's rosaiug" cried Edna.
"To,. ,:esn To ,.avo ha,, you' fur rubbe.
the AroIg wsy ,o4sr,' said Alfred. "Blen
kinsopp said ell along ,nat Lester would q
too fa:. We'll. lie has gone too far. In
stead cf calling III al expert, lie has oper
ated h;paeii. and everybody will hold hin
responsible"
''Do you think it win damage his prac
tice." inquired Gertrude.
"You cant have been l;stening." erie,
Alfred.
''Why. Alfred, hearl eYery word"
The. v,;iv do you ask such absGi>
question? 1niur1 his practice. Of cours
it will. lees;cv is too young. People DON
care to lie rraciiced op-carveq about.
shouldn't he sGrrri.,',! II /. ruined him"
One ni2g:ing. shnat four months later
Gcrtrutioe eiier g,r. q woke fcvel.rh
Alfred, she said. As her husband ros,
from the ta'le atter breakfast ''you voa