Evening journal., 1899-06-24

woman how utterly Indifferent he was
q .-r.
She hesitated moment. then quietly
sat down.
But surely, Mr. Nandeleur," SHE sad.
your wound cannot be OF so TRIVIAL
nature as you would have one heiieve?
you were reported killed al nrst. all
the papers said So and l-everyone was
so dreadfully sorry
Were they?" said Nandeleur, ironic-
ally. "Sorry TO say their feelings must
pass unappreciated. Enough OF myself.
however. presume you are staying
down here for some time? he added,
as he threw his cigarette away.
please don'ti" cried Miss Sinclair.
"You know have no objection; my
tastes have not changed even IN is
months"
Excuse mE said Vandeleur, coldly,
IL thought they had. However, II Is OF
no consequence. as l smoke very little
now; tobacco doesn't commend itself 10
inyalids, you know"
During the conversation Miss Sim
clair had been surreptitiouslyo observing
Nandeleur.
With a dull pain at her heart she
noted the unmistakable evidence of suf-
fering in his look
strong desire TO tend and nurse this
man. whom she loved as n woman only
loves once. overmastered her. and she
experienced mad impulse TO cast all
conventionality aside. and throw her
self at his feet and cry; "Oh, my love,
my love, / wronged you innocentlyl IL
IS all IA hideous mistakei Won't you for
give-only forgive?"
The impulse died away, however, as
she glanced at Nandeleur. and saw the
hard line Of his mouth.
lie will never forgive, she thought
never.
Neither spoke for some minutes, and
the pause was becoming awkward.
when a pun of wind disnrranged Van
deleur's rug lie feebly essayed TO
reach for %; but Miss Sinclair fore
stalled him, aud with q "please ALLOW
me-" arranged Il,
While doing so her hand slightly
touched that of Nandeleur, causing the
blood 10 jump madly through his veins
while the color flooded her own face.
Presently Miss Sinclair said, hcsitat.
ingly IL have been trying for the
last few minutes toto say something
win you listen? want to ask your
pardon Some time ago VEL quar-
i relied with you, apparently withoutanl
osteusible cause whatever Three
months ago I discovered the fact thn'
had done you a grievous wrong"
70 ''rook you some time. didn't A. p sar
castically intcrjectea Vnndeleur. =.
was acquainted with the fact exactly
J. IS months ago."
) The venom Of his remark almos
7 scorched the words on her lips, but sh
quietly ppoceeded
y 'Pbeaso reserve your sarcasm unit
o you have hoard me. Not even the fea
y OF your misunderstanding shall dete
a me from performing wAat I oonsid6
y to be sight aud my dsty to do. il
d Iisht you should know that had som
slight excuse for my apparent wantoi
capriciousness."
q She paused a moment, resting he
q chin on her hand, and Vandeleur stol
glance at her.
y She had changed somewhat, b
'e ihought-grown gentler and more sui
y dued; and the passionate desire grey
on him to open.his arms and say;
Is IL forgive all, 1 forgive all Onl
10 love mel"
ss "Flease go on" he said.
" THANK you," she replied. quietly, q
D. win. The story Of a Man and q Won
an is an old title, and has been use
D. many times, yet purpose using II ono
again as a heading for my narrative
"The man in this particular case az
d peared to love the woman very dearly
h anl she-well. she requited his aifeS
ton"
d Vandeleur started and shifted his pc
$. sition slightly.
D. "He was a writer Of books" she col
" tinued, "and on her twenty-third biru
,e day he presented her with the frs
,e proof of the book that had made hi
name Il was n unique present, an
v. she appreciated it accordingly unit
a. on turning over the leaves she foun
between the pages letter.
NJ 1T was love letter, written in Oh
II mans handwriting on large sheet 6
ID paper. and signed with his Christia
in name. but not meant for herr the nan
H. of the woman for whom It was d.
signed was Gladys"
he "Heavensl" cried Vandeleur, hoars
,s ", "'The Hand on the Wheel-it W.
the page of manuscript that coul
never fndl"
N "Yes," she said, quietly "it was
~ page of manuscript that you had los
~ She, however. did not discover this ui
"a til later; but in her misery az wh'
she imagined to be the mans falsenes
mover answered his demands for au e.
!. plauation-never spoke to him again
ne She paused for a moment, overeou
=. with emotion.
~ "Some time later," she proceedc
, with difficulty. "a book WIS publish,
by a man. entitled: The Hand on q
Wheel His heroine was called Glady
and the love letter that had destroys
3" the woman's happiness was Reproduced
y" almost word for word in its pages.
"rhen she understood. aud for q
o' first time discovered the awful mistal
.Dl - l.l ..,..l, Ia nos TOO lnfn Ioi