Evening journal., 1899-08-15

delight the prospect Of showing this
woman how utterly indifferent he was
TO her.
She hesitated.a noment. then quietly
sat down.
"But surely. Mr.. Vandeleur, "ishe said,
your wound canzet be OF 50 trivial
nature as you woulnhave one believe?
You we're reported killed II first; all
the papers said SO. and I--eveTyone was
so dreadfully sorry
Were they?' said Nnndeleur. ironic-
ally Sorry TO say their'feehngs'must
pass unappreciated. Enough ofmyself-
however l presume you are staying
down here for some time?' he added,
as he threw his cigarette away.
"Please don'tl" cried Miss Sinclair.
you know / havelno objection; my
tastes have not changed even in IS
months"
Excuse me-" said Vandeleur, coldly,
Il thought they had. However, it is OF
no consequence. as I smoke very little
now: tobacco doesn't CONNIE nd.itself 10
invalids, you knew"
During the conversation Miss Sin
clair had been surreptitiousro observing
Vandeleur.
With a duh pain at her heart she
noted the nnistalcable evidence'of suf-
fering in his look.
A strong desire TO tendand nurse this
man, whom she loved rs woman only
loves once, overmastered her, and she
experienced a mad impulse TO cast all
conventionaltty aside, and throw her
self at his feet and cry: oh my love-
my love, wronged you innosentlyi II
is all a hideous ristalSel Won't you for
glve--ouly forgiven
The impulse died away, however. as
she glanced at NaRdeleur, and saw the
hard line OF his mouth.
lie win never forgive, she thought
never.
Neither spoke tor some minutes. and
the pause was becoming awkward.
when a pun Of wind dSsarraneed YAM
deleur's rug He feebly essayed TO
reach for il; but Mss Sinclair fore
stalled him, and with a please allow
me- arranged il.
While doing so her hand slightly
touched that Of Vanseleur, causing the
blood 10 jump Inadly tlrough his veins,
while the cseor ao0led her-own faso.
Presently Miss Sinclair said. hesitat-
inglg: 81 -have been trying for the
lastsfew minutes Toto say something.
win you Lister? 1 want 10 ask yorA
pardon Some time ago VEL quar-
relied with you, apparently ~thost aay
ostensible cause whateveE Thres
months ago disc 0yered the fact that
! had done you q gTievous wrong"
Took you some time, didR't if2" ssr.
castically interjected Vandeleur. q
Vas acquainted with the fact exactly
IS months ago"
The venom Of his remark almost
scorched the words on her lips, but sh,
quietly proceeded;
please reserve your sarcasm unit
3 you have heard rae. Net even tho feai
Of your mjsundorstanding shah dete
me from performing what conside
TO be right and my duty to do. II i
right you should know that had soml
slight excuse for my apparent wantor
capriciousness."
She paused q moment, resting hei
chin on her hand. and Vandoleur stol,
a glance at her.
She had changed somewhat. h'
thought--gresyn gentler and.more sub
dued; and the passionate desire grew
on him to open his. arms and say:
a forgive ail. forgive All Onll
love mel"
please go on" be SAID.
"Thank YOU" she replied, quietly, T"
will. FheeStory Of Man and Won
an is an old title, and has been use
many times, yet purpose using it ono
again as a heading for nay narrative"
''1Qfe man In this particular case ap
I peared to love the woman very dearly
u and she-wel. she requited his affee
tioa."
Vandeleur started and shifted his po
. sition slightly.
! ''Hc was writer Of books" she con
T dnued. "and on her twenty-third birth
G day he presented her with the frs
e proof of the book fhat had made hi
name. It was unique present, ant
= she appreciated it accordingly, unit
J. on turning over the leaves she foun
between the pages letter.
l. 1T was a love letter, written in tn
Il mans handwriting on q large sheet q
d paper. and signed with his Christina
name, but not meant for her; the nam
l. of the woman for whom il was ds
signed was Gladys"
Is "Heavensl" cried Vandeleur, hoarsl
rs ly, "'The Hand on the Wheel--it wa
the page Of manuscript that | coul
never fndl"
II EYES," she said. quietly, Iii was
le page of manuscript that you had los
10 She, howevar, did not discover this VI
te til later; but in her misery at whl
she imagined to be the mans falsenes
c. never answered his demands Cor an e;
IS planation-never spoke to him again.
If She paused for moment, overcom
to with emotion.
y Some time later" she proceede
with difficulty, "a book was pablishe
&c by man, entitled: The Hand on n
Wheel His heroine was called Glady
at and the love letter that had destroys
I'd the woman's happiness was reproduce
almost xr,r~T for xvor1 n, ifu mn opc