The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14
LAKE HERALD. SUNDAY. FEBRUARY H.

his words, had to be reccnSldered-
She saw meanings in former phrases
that had been hidden from her; she
had now the key that unlocked the
room illumined by knowledge; and al
though her heart yearned toward her
father, sympathizinS with him when
confronted by an unexpected problem,
and fully condoning his apparent lack
of trust in keeping her ignorant OF d
situation so closely concerning her
self. feeling that she ought to stand
by him and repel the stranger who
had so daringly come between them
with his preposterous claim upon her
affection. yet from no part of her being
could she call TO her aid that emotion
of just resentment against Marsten
which she knew ought 10 be at her
command.
I am very, very sorry" she said
at last. speaking slowly. Il like you,
of COURSE think you are a noble,
earnest man. and that you VIII do
good and overcome many difficulties,
but 1 don't care for you in the way
you wish. and it would not be right
to be dishonest with you. I should
like TO see you get on in the world,
ana l am sure you will. Some day
you will write to me and tell me of
your victories, and l shall be glad. 1t
VIII make me happy then TO know you
have forgOtten-this. Now you must
90. Good byei"
She rose, holding out her hand to
him, and he saw her eyes were wet.
'GOod-by he said, turning away.
Edna sat down, but did not pick up
her book. With her hands listless in
her lap she gazed out at the blue sky,
thinking. Presently, to her surprise,
Marsten returned
You have forgotten your broom
she said, with a wavering smile
trembling on her lips.
L had forgotten more than that
he said; Il had forgotten my mission -
Your mission?"
Yes; my false pretenses do not stop
at climbing walls. 1 am really a
traitorous messenger, for the device by
which L came here was arranged by
another, who wished me to take a let
ter to you, but his letter was returned
to him. He has written another; here
it is"
of whom are you speaking?"
Mr.. Barnard Hope"
She took the letter. Marsten lifted
MS broom and went away He wanted
to leave the place and get back to
London, but the gardener had eau
toned him not to return until the
sweeping was finished. while Barney
himself impressed upon him the ne
arise, as it might be needful TO dis
patch another messenger on a similar
GRAND. So he kept on sweeping the
debris into little heaps by the side of
the path. The school girls disappeared
INTO the house by twos and threes un-
til ne found himself once more alone.
and yet he did not see Edna come
from the summer house. He moved
nearer and nearer with his work 10
the place where they had met, hoping
10 catch parting glimpse of her as
she walked toward the house At last
she came out, but instead of taking the
direct path to the house she came
toward him. with the thin volume sb.
mad been reading in her hand There
was slight increase of the usual
color in her cheeks, but with that ex-
ception she had succeeded in suppress
ing all trace of her emotion. She
looked at him with what seemed at
first all her former straightforward
ness, but as he met her gaze he saw
1T was not quite the same;a misty
shadow of difference yelled her honest
eyes, SO like her fathers, but so much
kindlier
Il have brought you this book she
said. holding it out to him. land 1
want you to keep it. 1t is the story of
a messenger who was true to the trust
of the one who sent him, and yet who
failed"
But you have not read the book
yourself" he replied, taking the vol
ume, nevertheless.
'Oh, yes, l have. 1 was reading ii
for the second time today"
AS he hastily concealed the book I'M
der his blouse, he looked anxiously
about him, fearing they might be OBJ
served, unwilling to compromise her
in the least. The craft of a man is
rarely equal to that of a woman, no
matter how young she may be. Edna
smiled as she noticed his perturbation.
There is no one to see u.s. she
said; land if there were, it would
not matter. They would merely think
l was giving improving literature and
good advice to an under gardener.
which. indeed, is exactly what 1 am
doing, when I tell him to work hard
and forget"
AS Edna said this she opened her
hand and allowed to fiutter upon a
heap at his feet the minute fragments
of a letter, which floated down through
the air like a miniature snowfall and
she was gone before he could say
Goodbye" for the second time.
Marsten stood there looking down at
the bits of torn paper scattered over
the heap, the remnants, undoubtedly.
of the letter he had brought, and al
though he had no word of encourage
ment-which, in spite of his disclaim-
er, he had yearned to hear-each no
arate piece of white paper reflected up
ri m him nv Of how,