Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-09-20
!. think it is an accomplishment

business cpistle, and, unaware, sen.
tence may creep in to startle its recip.
lent"
He turned back to his task.
"By the way" Harry" she contin-
,ued, "you never have shown me your
skill in counterfeiting my chirogra-
ply. Let me see if you can do it,
1T never have tried" he replied
write your name for me, and I will
make the effort now"
"My hand is too weak this morning.
make the attempt from memory"
Taking up blank sheet Of paper, he
initiated, as closely as he could, her
signature, which was, in some respects,
both marked and peculiar.
every good" she said, examining 1t
critically, as he handed it to her; "but
hardly so good, I think, as your coun-
terfeit of Graces. Write her name on
another slip, and let me compare them.
I wonder il they would bear no trace
of the same hand, and be as thorough
ly unlike as our original specimens
would be-"
He hesitated not moment in COM
plying with her request.
at is perfect!" she declared; "but
we won't leave it as witness against
you."
And then followed the sound of tear
ing paper; but, of the two slips which
he had handed her, only one was de-
stroyed. The other remained intact
the weapon which was to stab Harry
Reynolds honor to the quick by the
hand he best loved on earth.
1t was now almost the hour ap-
pointed for Harvey Barclays visit,
when Helen expressed the wish to go
down into the library.
She was tired, she said, of her own
room, but really, they must no longer
treat her as an invalid.
But when she rose to her feet her
head swan, and she was glad to have
her husbands arm thrown protecting
ly around her for support.
No possible chance could be afforded
her of seeing Harvey alone, she knew
full we'll. She must cOntrive some
means of getting the paper to him I'M
suspected by them all, and of telling
him the terrible story of yesterday.
With sigh of relief, she lay back in
the armchair in which Harry had
placed her, and which he had drawn
close to the fire.
AS he bent down to kiss her, Grace
entered the room, a great bunch Of
crimson roses in her hand.
"They are to make you ashamed Of
your pale cheeks, Helen" she said,
sweetly, as she offered her gift; but
her own cheeks were equally pale.
A strange and sad unrest has pos
sessed her all the day. Her woman's
intuition had OWNED that Helen suf-
fered, and, remembering the secret
that she already held locked in her
breast, she felt that perhaps Harry
had again been tempted, and that his
wife's loyalty fain would spare him.
Oh, if he needed money, why did he
not come to her?
Yet, to know that Helen suffered
his fault, caused new and
tenderer feeling for her to spring into
life in the girls unsuspecting soul.
She knelt on the rug beside the fire,
an exquisite picture in her rich winter
costume, when the butler announced
Mr.. Barclay.
A moment later, with the privilege of
one on familiar footing with the house
hold, he entered the room.
Harry and Grace alike greeted him
with more than usual warmth the
former because of the relief inspired by
the knowledge that Grace had refused
the offer Of his hand; Grace, herself,
because Of her belief that unwittingly,
she had caused him pain.
Helen's greeting was almost marked
ly cold. Indeed, after a few minutes,
she took up pencil and paper, and be-
gan writing on book she held in her
lap.
The conversation rested its burden
upon the other three.
At the end of half an hour their visit
or arose.
Asking for an envelope, Helen fold
ed her note, put it within it, sealed,
stamped and addressed it.
"Will you drop this into the box for
me, Mr.. Barclay?" she asked, as she
held it toward him. cit is to my dress
maker" she added, with a smile,
therefore, important"
ct will deliver it in person, if needs
be-" he answered, taking it from her
hand and Slipping it into an outside
pocket of his coat.
GAS you please, if your way leads in
that direction; but the post will,
ina CINE, be equally sure. Only, do not
let your memory fail; for it is most
important and contains minute direc-
lions concerning my next new cos
tune"
1T hope when we next meet to find
you fully recovered" he said, taking
her hand in farewell. eve depend up
on you to be the married belle of Mrs.
Randolphs ball next week"
Next week." she laughed, Il shall
be able to vie with the bloom of these
roses then"
.'The difficulty will lie with the roses
in making themselves worthy of such
comparison" he answered, in half
sportive gallantry.
And with a few words of adieu to
the others, he took his leave.
Rapidly he walked through the
streets until he reached his rooms.
Then he tore open the letter con-
signed to his care, the letter concern
ing which he had received such minute
instructions.
A flash Of triumph cleaned in his
ewes as two sheets fell from the en-
yelope-one closely filled, one blank,
except for single signature, midway
down the sheet-the signature Grace
oSvenvv "