The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-07-23
CHAPTER III.
TWO LETTERS.


1.-TWO letters, Mr.. Marshall"
Raymond Marshall took the rendered
mlssives from the hands of the anti
qua.ed postmaster of Hopedale, thrust
one, an ordinary business missive, into
his pocket carelessly, but the other
his eye frightened and his pulses came
quicker.
From Edna he murmured, recog-
nizing the handwriting on the envelope.
Something about the reception to-
night. hope that tiresome Mr.. Brins-
ley Is not to be her escort. 1t Is too
precious, too sacred to read here"
He reached home and went to his
room with q gay song on his lips. The
memory of the girl he loved was al
ways with him, the possession OF a
shy, dainty epistle from her enhanced
its sweetness.
Rather bulky" he commented, as he
carefully cut open the envelope, as II
every scrap of paper her hands had
touched was precions. "Mr Marshall
why! what is this? Oh, Edna! joke,
a cruel hoax, surely"
The words died in gasp. With star
ing eyes Marshall surveyed the letter
before him. Then staggering to seat,
he sat glaring at it with colorless face
and chilled heart.
A formal dismissal, cold, precise
disavowal of all the past, the cruel
words seemed Icy fingers reaching for
his heart, to blight all the faith and
love Of his nature with single touch.
Edna had written it-her slanting,
Italian style showed in the chirography.
There could be no doubt of that, but
the language!-ohl what did 1t mean3
Briefly it addressed him as might one
q stranger. Circumstances, the latter
said, had in an hour changed her des-
tiny. All was over between them. 1t
was better so, since fate ordained It.
Remember her as friend, their brief
filtration" as hayward caprice for
passing tho summer months away!
"Falsel Deceitful! / will never be-
lieve it," painted tho petrifed Marshall.
"Whyl yestcrday-thc ring | gave her,
the pledges we made-oh! this is some
farce, some hidden dreaml What is
this?'
Mechanically turning the wretched
misslve over and over in his nerveless
hands, Raymond Marshall observed for
the first time that it was comprised oil
two sheets of paper.
And striving to separate them, he as
certained that stray patches OF mucilage
held the lower page to the other. In a
few minutes he discerned that it could
not have been che intention OF the
sender to inclose the second sheet.
That was accidental. 1t had stuck to
the top sheet and had been folded In
with it by a hasty, careless hand.
1t bore writirg-not Edna's writing.
A dagger seemed driven to Ray Mar
shalls heart as he tore 1t free, and the
bold, masc uline ehirography danced be-
fore his vision.
II he had been startled before. every
pulse stirred with fierce fire now. The
letter had evidently been received by
Edna tho day previous, and was signed
with tho name OF the only rival in her
affection to whom he had ever given
thought, Miss Chambers cousin,
Edna's announced escort of that even
ing-Barton Brinsley.
The letter of an accepted lover to the
woman he loved, it betrayed decided
encouragement from Edna. 1t even
bore slight ridicule of Marshalls pre-
tensions. Edna had endured this! Edna
had played him false, and while her shy
lips were RESPONDING to his ardent ex-
pressions OF devotion her hypocritica
heart was thinking of Barton Brinsley
d Tho complication was maddening
With eyes dashed with the insanity o.
despair the tortured artist looked up
He clenched the tell-tale sheets In his
hand as II they were the false heart o.
the girl who had Tilted him, and that o
the man who had stolen away her love
III will kill him! he choked out, bis
soul ablaze.
And then. realizing the folly OF sucl
q sentiment, the right OF any man 4
honorabiy strive for a woman's prefer
ence, with the bitterness Of death com
pretending that tie woman was tn
deceiveh remembering his mother
taunt oncn nude that he had bettel
marry col sides q namelesa
ae@sI ~ Gained :. o.