Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-07-13

| man pleaded. II did not recognise
you! Don't you know an deadf
| II know you are coming In here witA
me-" VIII said gently, substituting his
arm for one Of the crutches and enter
| ing the hotel where he had q room.
! STEADY now" and he led him. feeling
! how he trembled. until he bad him
{ seated In a great armchair In his room,
I and felt his heart stirred with deepest
compassion at the havoc pain and pov.
| erty had made.
He would not let bis guest speak IN
til he had ordered q supper and made
him comfortable. Then, turning to
him, he saw he was weeping.
See what a woman you make o.
mer the poor fellow said. "You
thought I was deadr'
Yes! All your friends think So"
1T was a narrow escape, and won
der why was spared. Nine months
in a public hospital have left me Grip
pied and incurably Ill. They would not
keep me after could get about OH
crutches. but have begged or starved,
and It will not be for long! would not
let anyone know for fear II would get
to-to-Helen!'
You want to hide from herr
"Yes-yes! What would her life b.
tied to mine7 You will not betray me.
SpencerT"
"But you may recover"
NO. I should only be a wreck II
could. but l cannot. 1 have internal
Injuries that the cold and hunger Of
last winter have increased fatally"
VIII Spencer literally could not speak.
This man asked of him only the 81
lence 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 tbs
conversation to Helen. He was very
frank, telling George Vanhorn how
truly he had been mourned, but saying
nothing Of his own hopes. and 1t was
easy to see how George had loved her.
how utterly self-sacrificing his silence
had been. To spare her pain, he had
kept from her all knowledge Of his Owp
suffering.
But his pride yielded to Wills en-
treaties to be allowed to befriend him.
He was very weak. very Ill. and he al-
lowed VIII to get him a pleasant room
in a quiet boarding house. to furnish
him with necessary clothing, to engage
a doctor, and to take q brothers place
beside him.
And then true, unselflsh love ul.
umphed.
she will never marry me-" VIII
thought, ruefully, as he folded q long,
long letter. but she shall not be cheat.
ed 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 obey
ed, packing her trunk and accompany.
ing Helen In the Journey westward.
1t was VIII Spencer who met the two
at the depot, and accompanied them to
the boarding house where he kept Mrs.
Raymond in the parlor after sending
Helen upstairs. alone. 1t was VIII
Spencer who smoOthed away every diff.
ficulty. engaging rooms for mother and
daughter and quietly effacing himself.
1t We're far too long a story to try to
record the three months that followed.
George Vanhorn was resolute on one
point. He would not marry Helen. He
had no hope of recovery, but II the un-
expected should happen, he would not
risk running Helen's life by binding 1t
to his.
oh" she would cry, what an, to
deserve the love Of two such meni
= h,ry, 70 hn
they leve me-"
And by this love her courage wal
sustained through the three months
when she and her mother smoothed
George VanhOrn's path to the grave.
Such happiness as could be hers. she
knew that she owed to VIII Spencer
who showed his love only by his care
OF the invalid. He never spoke Of love
to her, giving her up entirely, but upon
her lover he lavished every kindness
wealth could procure. or friendship die
tate. He gave him a brothers devotion
until the last parting came, and when
he was laid in the cemetery, VIII Spen.
Ger took Helen and Mrs. Raymond
back to their home and>left them.
1t was three years later when he
came home from European tour and
called on Mrs. Raymond.
The old lady, sir. is Dead" the ser
want told him. "an' Miss Helen's livin'
In - street Maybe yees didn't hear
she's come into some money from her |
uncle, sir. and Mrs. Candy, she's took
this house, sor"
Come into some money! Well, she did |
not need him. He would wait awhile |
But In a few days a little note reached |
him:
1T was unkInd to let mo hear Of yom
return by accident VIII you not come |
to see meY
Would he nOt7 And when he went
he could not keep the love out Of his
eyes or his voice. and she-at last! Her
eyes dropped under his gaze. her cheeks
blushed for him. her voice faltered |
with tenderness. He had won his bride! !
And he had no secret hidden from her
loving eyes. no treachery he would |
dread to have her discover. BY the
frankness he had thought would alien
ate her forever. he had won her true.
faithful love, a devotion as entire ~
that she had given in her girlhood to
the man he had so nobly befriended.-
New York Ledger.
Biting tho Nails.
sImpIe and yerv effestiye way n |