Connecticut western news., 1898-07-21

Now, in her drawing room, the woods saved and his future mortgaged instead, Aylmer took a rapid survey of his life up to tho point it had then reached and decided that ho had pursued the only course open to him. Neither did he in calmness repent the step he l had taken. Diana Granton had not her money alone to recommend her. She was of the world and admirably fitted | for the position he offered her. That she was comedy has been said, and she took sensible view of the situation. He was not in love with her, and she was wise enough to conceal from him the secret that her own heart had been revealing to her gradually for some time past
 At dinner that evening she looked at him and knew that she loved him. He looked at Diana and thought of forgot ten Audrey.
 It was the fault of the roses in the l drawing room.
 The scent of them haunted him-fol- lowed him home. Poor little Audreyi What would she thinkY But near as he had come to loving her, he had never made love to her and had nothing to reproach himself with, for which now he was fervently thankful Yet he was not quite happy as his hanson took him to Charges street A memory of some- thing that was wistful at times in Au- drey's eyes stirred him. The thing was absurd, inconceivable. Her mother, gentle as she was. was woman of the world and had known that he meant" nothing. Audrey was child. to oaress and pet. It was he who had suffered at the parting. Her tears were the frank tears of childhood and rolled down her cheeks unconcealed.
 His misgivings told him that he had done we'll to go.
 He thought of the restlessness that had possessed him during the early days of his travel 1t had sent him from place to place. He had written letter then that was never posted, and had TO. trained himself until time and distance allowed him to write calmly. Presently the need to write ut all ceased and he knew himself cured
 But tonight Audrey haunted him. He could be thankful that he had not made fool of himself. The girl was not of his world. and he knew the folly of m i'll assorted marriage. but she had been very dear to him.
 How fair she wasl Her face insinu- ated itself consistently between him and sleep. She must be grown up now yes. Audrey must be I9. The curves of her slender figure would be rounded and many subtle changes mark the time that had seen the crossing of the bor- der line of womanhood, but she would be the same Audrey that he had known and had been so near to loving.
 It was late before he slept. Then Audrey came to him in dreams that had no definite shape. He tried vainly afterward to remember in what guise and to what accompanying oircum. stances she had appeared to him. He only knew that she had been with him, sleeping as waking, through the night
 The air and the light of day, how ever, cleared his brain. He spent Q morning with Diana, and by the time she was sitting opposite to him at lunch he could view the situation calmly and see that his happiness lay in the direo- tion he was taking. Nor was he con- sciously selfish.
 He parted with Diana and walked homeward It was a time of roses The roses in flower shop caught his atten- tion. They filled the window.
 He found himself in the shop. He had been attracted by red roses. yet in the end it was white roses he chose. He believed that he made his choice by hazard, though now he sometimes won- ders It may be that some thought of Audrey's nature influenced him.
 He took out card and paused. What to sayP His love? He hesitated and wrote, For auld lang syne. |" Then he gave hiS directions as to the sending and left the shop.
 Three days later a letter reached him.
 He opened it carelessly, not recogniz- ing the handwriting His fingers tight ened suddenly upon the sheet
 1T put your roses on her heart" wrote her mother, ''loose, as they came She would have loved them so. "- Lady's Realm.