Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-04-11

/ friends were very BoOu III CO-ii''-S ~
see him but they could not give MIN
tho news he most wanted, for none OF
his set knew the Macdonalds, and Ha-
stanton lived away in the country, so
was ont of reach. More than once he
thougbt of writing to Kitty herself, but
| somehow he shrank from telling her
how i'll he had been, and when the doc
for ordered him away, he thought ne
might as well wait until he was quite
strong again and could call and eX-
main matters himself So the letter
was never written, and Kitty wondered
at his silence and ate her heart out
with yexation at the thought OF the
photograph she had sold so lightly the
last time they had met.
Ralph did not regain strength as he
had hoped, and toward the end OF
! January he became desperate, and de-
termined to return to the city. and con-
suit one of the leading physicians.
Then it was that he heard his doom.
"If YOU wish to be strong man
again" said the physician, after care
! ful examination of the case you must
90 abroad at once, certainly not later
! than next week, and stay away for at
| least six months.
STAY away six months" Ralph re-
peated to himself, as his thoughts new
to Kitty Macdonald. But not muscle
of his face moved, and he merely IN
quired, somewhat bitterly:
is that polite way of saying that
I'm done for. doctor, or do you honestly
will set I'D
again?'
The doctor smiled at the question.
my dear fellow" he said kindly, 1
don't for a moment think you're done
for. You've taken the mischief in time
and stand every chance Of making
good recovery. but, of course, the mat
ter rests entirely with yourself, and I'M
less YOU are prepared TO obey my in
strUctiOns to the letter, your case Will
suon be very serious one
So Rolph obeyed, and as the physi-
clan recommended his making a long
sea voyage he lost no time in booking a
berth in the next steamer. Then there
was the necessary business arrange
ments TO be made, and he also wrote
to Hal, asking him to come, II pos
sible and spend his last Sunday with
him. Hal came readily enough, ana II
was through Halls visit that Kitty
learned The news. For Ralph shrank
more than ever from meeting her now.
How could he say good-by TO her with
out be.raying his secret, and what right
had he to tell that secret, when such an
uncertain future lay before him?
His resolution almost broke down.
though. when he received her kind lit
tie letter OF sympathy, With its pressing
invitation to him to come and see them
before he started.
Not going to say goodbye to the
MacGOnalds? Why nOt?' exclaimed
Hal. on hearing that Ralph had declin-
ed their invitation.
Il have not time replied Ralph,
shortly and net being Of an inquisitiVe
nature. Hal was content to let the mat
ter drop. Later in the day, however,
Ralph found time TO go to the florists
and spend a small fortune on an eXqui-
site little basket Of roses, which he dis
patched to Kitty with the following
note. over which she cried bitterly that
night as she sat alone in her bedroom:
My Dear Miss Macdonald:-Many
thanks for your letter. ! am sorry that
| cannot. in fact, dare not, avail myself
of your kind invitation. Please accept
the accompanying tlowers-you will
find them far better company than l
could possibly be under present circum-
stances. If | live through my time OF
exile. I shall hope to come and see you
Immediately after my return. If | do
not live through it, l should like you
to think Of NE as | was during those
happy times we spent together, and not
as [ am now.
clipping you will have every happi-
ness in yCur life, believe me TO remain,
yours sincerely,
"RALPH ST. CLAIR"
Poor Kitty, Perhaps she WIS to be
forgiven for weeping so bitterly over
this sad little letter.
Ralph was very thankful when the
day of departure at last arrived and all
the good-byes had been said
Don't expect to hear from me-" he
had told all his friends I've got to
stay away six months and what is the
good of exciting myself over the mails
every week If I'm alive at the end OF
the time ] shall turn up at the club
again as usual. If I'm not alive-weli,
Garesay you'll see the obituary notice
in due course, and that will be equally
satisfactory"
His friends laughed at this speech.
1T was so like st. Clair" they said;
but his sister and Hal Stanton was by
no means satisfied. and they begged that
he would at least let them know Of his
safe arrival. He consented to do this
at last. aud kept his promise faithfully.
but after that they heard no more Of
him and as he had carefully avoided
giving his address, they were forced to
abandon al idea of writing to him.
SO the weeks and months went by. and
Ralph went on his travels and rather glo-
n'ied in his isolation; while Kitty-poor lit
tie Kitty-times went very hard with her
during those wear weeks, and the hardest
par; Of all her troubles was the thought
that Ralph must have forgotten her-that
in fact, he could never really have cared
for her.
Perhaps it was the bitterness Of this
thought that drove her to that fatal mar
rage. or perhaps that was the result OF
home pressure when the money troubles
began. Ralph never heard the full expla-
nation of that awful mistake, and he new
er sought it: the bare facts were quite
enough for him.
He had only seen her once since her mar
riage. and that was on the very evening
of his return from abroad. She had been
married just a month ther-was, in fact
returning from her honeymoon il was n
long August evening, he remembered, and
as the train steamed into the station he
had sprung out on the platform in the