Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-10-28
LOVES LABOR UNLOST

When Vincent Neale came down to
his solitary breakfast table one June
morning, he found three letters beside
his plate. At the sight of one Of these
he turned pale, and stared at the hand
writing for some seconds before ne
touched 1t. After what had passed be-
tween Lena Carteris and himself
twelve months before it was more than
strange that she should write to him
again. Could it be-?
He snatched at the envelope and tore
it open with feverish haste.
1t contained sheet Of paper and a
smaller envelope, sealed. On the sheet
of paper was written:
"You see, l have not forgotten you.
If you are willing to do me last favor,
whatever it may be, open the inclosed
note and do what I ask you. But II
you hesitate to make promise blind
fold, burn my sealed letter unopened. l
trust to your honor to do this.-L. Z.
Vincent sat turning the little sealed
envelope over and over in his fingers.
Had this girl any right to make such
a request to him? No. She had treat
ed him badly-or at least he thought
so.
Years before the Neales and the Car
terises had been on very friendly and
intimate terms. Then Mr.. Neale lost a
great deal Of his money, and Vincent
became a clerk In a city bank. After
that Mr.. Carteris died, and his widow,
a tall, hard-featured imperious woman.
had married again. She married
man of no fortune but Of good family.
Colonel Annesley. There were several
children of the second marriage. Lena
was the only surviving child of her
father.
Vincent had met Lena for the trst
time since his boyhood at Scarborough
the year before, and fallen badly IN
love with her. He had not concealed
his passion-indeed, he had not been
able to do so. He felt sure that Lena
understood him, and returned his love;
but before anything definite was said,
Colonel Annesley had interfered, ana
with an arrogance that made the young
mans blood boil, had forbidden him to
speak to his stepdaughter again. Lena
submitted to the separation without a
word; and Vincent reproached her
bitterly in his heart for her want OF
spirit. Colonel Annesley was only her
stepfather, and her mother gave all
the affection she had to bestow-Whlch
was not much-to the younger chill
dren. Vincent thought Lena might
have answered the passionate appeal ne
had sent her when he returned to Lon
don, that she might have made some
stand for freedom and not have con-
scented to turn this way or that as
her stepfather and her mother pulled
the reins.
But Vincent, looking back to what
had happened then, saw that there was
much to be said to her. A girl cannot
rebel as a boy can. She cannot, as
last resource, run away from home,
though it may only be prison to her.
And Neale thought with mingled in
dignation AMI pity, how impossible it
was that Lena could hold her own
against two such antagonists as Colo
mel Annesley and his wife. He could
imagine her trembling at the flash OF
the colonel's eye, and the harsh tones
OF his stern, commanding voice. poor
little thing" he thought, poor little
Lena! 1t was not her fault. Yes, l
will 6n what bo ockc mo-
He tore open the envelope, and this
is what he read:
my marriage with Lord Wrexham
has been fixed for Tuesday, the goth.