Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-06-12

the selection of the trousseau referred
to in matter-of-fact words that made
Helen feel, as it was intended she
should, that she had walked into net
from which there was no escape.
And Will Spencer knew it all, and
writhed under the knowledge, being a
frank, loyal man, whose impulses were
generous and honorable, and who
loved Helen with all the strength OF
his heart. Often he asked himself
how he could endure life, if he found
his wife faithful slave, instead Of the
happy companion lie hoped to make
her.
eff she never loves mel" he thought,
bitterly. eff all my love fails to win
hers, what will my life be?"
He did her justice. He knew that
if his love failed to win her heart, his
gold was powerless to make her happy.
He knew that if her mother died or
could not be benefited by her mar
riage, she would rather beg her bread
herself than be his wife.
While matters stood in this unsatis-
factory state, Mrs. Raymond made a
suggestion: 81 want you to 60 away
for month";" she said to him, "and
let Helen miss the constant devotion
that she has had ever since your be-
trothal. Let her feel that void has
come into her life, and how dull and
cheerless it would be if she lost you.
The wedding day is set for June 10,
and this is April. Stay away until the
9Th or 9th of June"
1t seemed to him good advice, and
he had business in the West that would
fill his time profitably. It gave him
the first really happy moment Of his
engagement, when Helen said, gently,
yet with shudder:
"I cannot bear to think of you on
railway trains, Will. Write often, that
I may know you are safe"
Her lips met his in tender pres
sure, such as loving sister might be-
stow, but with far more affection than
she had ever before given him. Was
he winning her? The hope made this
unexpected absence endurable, and
for two weeks life held more pleasure
than it had done in all the days of his
courtship.
Then came q blow, sudden, sharp,
overwhelming He was in a large
Western city, when, after night, re-
turning to his hotel, a man on crutches
asked for charity. The voice was
familiar, and, in shock of horror,
the face struck him. One gasping cry
escaped him:
George Vanhorn!'
The man would have hurried away,
but he followed easily.
"Let me 60, Spencer!" the cripple
pleaded. II did not recognize you!
Don't you know am dead?"
II know you are coming in here
with me-" Will said, gently, substitut-
ing his arm for one of the crutches,
and entering the hotel where he had a
room. "Steady, now!" and he led
him, feeling how he trembled, until
he had him seated in great arm
chair in his room, and felt his heart
stirred with deep compassion at the
havoc pain and poverty had made.
He would not let his guest speak
until he had ordered supper and
made him comfortable. Then, turn
ing to him, he saw that he was weep
ing
''See what woman you make of
me!' the poor fellow said. "You
thought I was dead?"
Eyes! All your friends think So"
"It was narrow escape, and I
wonder why was spared. Nine months
in a public hospital have left me
crippled and incurably ill. They
would not keep me after I could get
about on crutches, but I have begged
or starved, and it will not be for long!
I would not let any one know for fear
it would get to--to-Helen!"
"You want to hide from her?"
"Yes-yes! What would her life be
tied to mine? You will not betray me,
Spencer?"
but You may recover"
"No! 1 should be only wreck if l
could, but cannot. I have internal
injuries that the cold and hunger of
last winter have increased, fatally"
Will Spencer literally could not
speak. This man asked of him only
the silence that would give him his
wife. Could he let Helen remain in
ignorance of this strange adventure the
memory Of her old love might die away
in time.
When he could speak again he led
the conversation to Helen. He was
very frank, telling George Vanhorn
how truly he hal been mourned, but
saying nothing of his own hopes, and
it was easy to see how George had
loved her, how utterly self-sacriticing
his silence had been. To spare her
pain he had kept from her all knowl-
edge of his own suffering.
But his pride yielded to Willis en-
treaties to be allowed to befriend him.
He was very weak, very ill, and he al
lowed Will to get him pleasant room
in quiet boarding house, to furnish
him with necessary clothing, to en-
gage doctor, and to take brothers.
place beside him.
And then true, unselfsh love tri-
umphel.
"She will never marry me- Will
thought, ruefully, as he folded long,
long letter, but she shall not be
cheated out of what little happiness
life may still hold for her."
He wrote, too, to Mrs. Raymond,
letter that caused that respectable lady
to grind her teeth, but which she
obeyed, packing her trunk and accom-
panying Helen in the journey west
ward.
1t was Will Spencer who met the
two at the depot. and accompanied
them to the boarding house, where ne
kept Mrs. Raymond in the parlor after
sending Helen upstairs alone. 1t was
Will Spencer who smoothed away every