The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-10

sudden departure OF Wcllman, became
the constant attendant of Bessie. and
everything appeared to be In his favor
until the evening he left. That even.
ing the two strolled along the walk
that borders the north side of the river,
leading to the lake. They sud they
were going to see the alpine glow on
tne snow mountains, but nobody be-
lleveu that. for the glow can be seen
quite as we'll from the terrace I'm front
OF the hotel. BE that as II may they
came back together shortly before s
O'Clock, Bessie looking her prettiest,
ana Snnderson with IL black frown on
his face, evidently In the worst of tenn
pers. lie lung his belongings i'm bag
anu departed on the $40 train for
Berne.. AS Archie met the pair. Bessie
actually smiled very swestly upon him
while Sanderson glared as II he had
never met Severance before.
That episode Is evidently ended -
said Archie TO himself as he continued
his walk toward Lake THIN. Il won
der IL 1t is pure devllment that in
duces her to lead people on to a pro-
posal and then drop him. suppose
Charley VIII leave now and we will
have no more games Of billiards
wonder why they all seem TO think II
the proper thing TO go away. !
peak. If YOU don't succeed the first
time. you should Ntry again. | believe
! shall try half n dozen proposals with
Bessie myself. If / ever come 10 the
point, she won't find ii so easy to get
rid OF me as she does with all the
rest"
Meditating thus. he sat down on n
bench under the trees facing the lake
Archie wondered If the momentous
question had been asked ut this spot
1t seemed Just the place for it, and
he noticed that the gravel on the path
was much disturbed. as if by the
irons hod point of an aGita led mans
cane. Then he remembered that SAN
derson was carrying an iron pointed
cane. AS Archie smiled and looked
about him. he saw on the seat beside
him Il neat little morocco bound book
with Eiler clasp. 1t had evidently
slipped from the insecure dress pocket
of a lady who had been sitting there
Archie picked 1t UP and turned 1t over
and over in his hands 1t Is a. patnful
for one of whom we would fain speak
we'll, but ii must be admitted that n,
this point in his life Severance did
what he should not have done. He
actually read the contents OF the book
although he must have been aware
before he turned the second leaf that
what was there set down was meant
for no eye save the writer's own. Ar
chic excuses himself by maintaining
that he had to read the book before
- i'tlih u" sure IL uclDnESu 10 any
body i'll particular. and that he opened
II ut first merely 10 see if there were
I name or 4 card inside. but there 10
little doubt that the young man knew
form the very first whose book il was
and he might at least have asked Miss
Durard II 1t were hers before he ouen.
ad Il. However, there is title purpose
in specializing OH what might have
been, and as the reading of the note
book led directly 10 the utterly umjus-
titia BILE action of Severance afterwards
as one wrong step invariably leads to
another. the contents Of the little vol
'i;na are here given SO that the reader
u this tragedy may the more fully un,
ierstau6 the situation.
CONTINUED IN to-morrow's issue)