The record-union., 1897-10-17

of old memories swept over her again
her face changed, the bright look dis
appeared and the old one Of habitual
sadness returned. She arose YEARLY.
Somehow, tonight, for the first time,
she felt the burden of her years press
ing heavily upon her She moved slow
ly across the room, and unlocking her
desk took from it a faded bunch of
letters. Reseating herself beside the
hearth she stirred the Goals into, q
blaze and spread the letters upon her
lap. For many years. just at the twi-
light hour, she had done this self-same
thing; the sight of the familiar writing
seemed like living page from the past
quilting over the ensuing years.
Since the glittering jewel had flashed
upon her finger the letters had lain in
her desk undisturbed. 1t had seemed
almost disloyal even to think of them.
Tonight she read them over for the
| last time Well she knew that the
hand which had penned those words
had proven so unworthy that even she,
who had loved him SO dearly, had been
forced to give him up.
Like many another woman, she could
love but once This man. in spite of
| his unworthiness reigned supreme in
her heart. BY the aid of the freight
| the girl read and reread the closely
written pages until every word became
| indelibly imprinted upon her brain.
Then, with a steady hand, she stopped
and laid them one by one in the very
heart of the Goals, and with dry eyes
watched them slowly shrivel and turn
to dead gray ashes.
A knock sounded on the door With
a shiver she came to herself "It is
Arthur" she said, and started across
the room, but before she could reach
the door it opened from the outside and
| the figure of a woman, from whose
dark and somber garments the rain
drops fell, stood in the doorway
What do you want?" demanded
Miss Vaughn sharply. She was but
human, after all, and for a moment
she could not control her disappoint-
ment. The woman tried to speak, but
the words refused to come. She swayed
giddily to and fro, and leaned against
the door for support.
You are sick" said Miss Vaughn,
moving quickly toward her strange
guest. Her better nature was again
uppermost. She saw in the little black
robed figure a sister woman who need
ed her advice and sympathy and her
whole soul went out to her. She gent
ly led her across the room, and seat
ing her near the fire poured her out
a glass of wine.
Drink this she said, sit will do you
good" The woman obeyed her me-
chanically When she returned the
glass a faint color had crept into her
cheeks.
They told me you We're good" were
her first words, but not how good. I
did not expect to find an angel"
Miss Waugh laughed deprecatingly.
II am far from being an angel, I'm
afraid After all, I'm only human, but I
try to do the best I can, and after peo-
pie have told me their troubles and go
away comforted, am satisfied. I have
had sorrow and trouble of my own. She
paused and gazed thoughtfulIy into the
fire. You'll be sorry. You'll be sor-
ry!'' the red flames seemed to cry She
sighed impatiently and continued:
"By and by you shall tell me your
story, perhaps I can help you. In the
meantime tell me something about
yourself. You do not live here?"
Her companion shook her head Her
eyes wandered restlessly around the
room. Suddenly they fell upon the pic
ture face of a man on the mantle shelf.
With an inarticulate cry she started to
her feet and seized it.
Arthur" she cried, and kissed the
inanimate bit of cardboard devouring
the pictured face with hungry eyes,
and whispering to it lovingly. She was
recalled to herself by Miss Vaughn's
voice
What is that man to you?" it de-
manded sternly. In the Pickering fire
light her face looked ghastfy She had
risen to her feet and clutched the back
of her chair with hands that were al
most purple.
What is he to me?" repeated the
woman dazedly, ''he is my" Then
catching sight for the first time of
her companions face she paused.
oh" she cried Historically, "I see
1t all, see it all. They told me that
he was here, and that he was going to
marry young lady. When I first
heard the news + was mad with rage.
II will go to her." I cried, and tell
| her what kind of a man she is going
to marry" then better thoughts came
and resolved to go away and hide my
| guilty self. But I felt as though I
must tell some one; my secret is more
than I can bear alone. Sometimes I
feel as though I would die with the
horror of it al1.'' She had spoken rap
idly, more to herself than to the pale
faced girl standing SO white and still
beside her.
When I arrived I saw the minister,
but when / came face to face with
him the words froze upon my lips. He
is a good man; he saw I was in trouble
and sent me to you, but he didn't know,
and now-now-" she broke off
| abruptly.
The room was singularly quiet. No
sound save the monotonOus drip, drip
of the rain outside, and the soft crack
ling Of the fire broke the stiffness Pa
tricia Vaughn might have been carved
in marble, so motionless she stood.
Presently she spoke, and her voice
sounded strangely unfamiliar upon her
ears. An odd feeling had taken pos
session of her. She felt as though she
were no longer Patricia Vaughn, but
an entirely different personality. why
should she feel SORRY for this pir1 pa