The Somerset reporter., 1897-08-05

from the house young man sAuntered
slowly toward her.
well, what success this timer" he
demanded, without troubling to make
any preliminary greeting.
Wait minute, Hugh, the girl an.
swered. Il am quite breathless with
hurrying. That tlresome Enid wanted
to come with me. And | wash at all
sure of Alan not coming too.
The man stood for a minute or two
in silence, tnen glanced at his compan-
ion impatieutly.
Il have got it, she answered quiet
ly, returning his glance.
His whole face changed and glowed
with triumph
you little darling. you clever little
darling" he exclaimed, and then took
her IN his arms and kissed her passion.
ately She lay quite passive in his EN-.
brace, her dark eyes cleaning with ten.
derest love
Now we can marry, he whispered.
But you have not told me yet, Elsie.
Are you sure you have got the exact
details?'
1T is all written here, word foi
word as Alan repeated it TO me, " she
replied.
He read the paper greedily which she
handed to him, then placed 1t in his
pocketbook and drew deep breath OF
relief
So that is all the secret of De.
maine's wonderful purple dye, " he
said well, | rather think now that
the monopoly is destroyed Won't the
old fashioned firm be astonished when
they find themselves undersold in the
market by dye exactly like their own.
And he laughed cruel laugh of tri.
umph. Il always hated Domaine, - he
continued, always. This will be splen-
did revenge besides making all our for
tunes. But come, Elsie, " he added, 1T
is time we We're moving I'll see you to
the park gates and then l must get
back to town -
a month passed away, and Elsie was
still visiting the Demaines, still out
wardly engaged to Alan, of whom nev-
ertheless she saw very little
Hugh, Elsie said to her lover one
evening, don't you think = and then
she stopped i'll confusion.
"Think WHAT" said Hugh idly, with
out looking at her
That IT is not very nice or pleasant
for me to be staying in Alan S home,
when | have-betrayed HIM" she ended
brayely.
u don't see what else YOU can do,
retorted Hugh lazily, "unless you 60
back to your aunt S. y
The girl crimsoned to her brow.
"Couldn't we be married now?" she
whispered in shamed tones.
He looked at her sharply, then replied:
Look here Elsie, it is best to be
straightforward SO we may as we'll end
this farce at once. am engaged to my
cousin Marian, and we are to be mar
ried next month.
There was a long silence. Up in the
bright blue heavens bird was caroling
merrily, and in a strange, mechanical
manner Elsie counted five daisies which
were in cluster at her feet Their she
spoke:
80 you just used me as tool,
Hugh?'
Eyes, " he acquiesced shamefacedly
She laughed-a strange, hard laugh.
ut does not hurt very much after all
hot very much, she repeated pite-
ously, and then without another word
turned aud left him
When Alan Domaine reached home
that night, his mother and sisters met
him with the news that Elsie had been
suddenly summoned to meet her aunt.
Though when she got the letter I'm
sure | don't know, " added Enid suspi-
oiOusly. Her brother made no reply, but
went straight to his own room, and
there, on the toilet table, lay tear
stained note.
Il have been a wicked, deoeitful
girl, the letter ran, and now the
greatest punishment l have to baar is
the knowledge that have brought ruin
upon you. :" Then followed an expldna-
ton concerning her curiosity about Che
dye, and the note ended with plea for
forgiveness.
In reply Alan wrote as follows: my
forgiveness you have fully and freely,
and / sincerely wish you every happi-
ness III the future You must not dis
tress yourself about running me, as
the secret ~ which | told you con-
corning the purple dye is no secret at
all, but very ordinary chemical prep
aration we'll known in the trade For
give me for deceiving you. | overheard
your c )nyersation with the scamp who
used you as his tool, and | could not re-
sist my little piece of revenge. The De
maine dye is a secret still, so you may
cease fretting about that My mother,
who knows nothing, sends you her love.
In a day or two l shall simply tell her
that the engagement is dissolved. "
Three months after the dispatch of
this letter Alan's manager ceased from
troubling, for the new firm failed IRE
trieyably.
Hang it ALL" said Hugh to his con-
fidential assistant eve have got the
correct ingredients, man. 1t must be in
the mixing that we fail. "
And when his speech found its way
to Alan's els he simply laughed. 1T
was Delilah who failed he said to
himself, mo the mixing 3" And then,
with new, glad hope springing in his
heart he joined his sisters and his sis
ters' friend Monica in the drawing
room. London Sun.
A man who resides on the east side