The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-11-09

ella, drawing her breath. and feeling
a cold shudder run over her. why,
what can have put that idea into your
head busy with the velvet cushion,
SO that Horace Nicholls did not see
her face while she spoke.
II don't know, I'm sure-haf apolo-
eetically. 81 asked the question with
out reflection, as i know that you
wouldn't GO"
AT the end OF an hour Horace tore
himself away, and he little imagined
that as soon as she had closed the door
on him Cecilia Howard returned to the
parlor flung herself into chair, and.
lifting her hands, broke into vail OF
exceeding anguish. II have told lie!
L have taken a great sin upon my soul!
"Halloa, Horacel can't you stop long
enough TO shake hands?"
The voice, loud and good natured.
reached the young man as he was hur-
rying up the street. He turned hastily.
and confronted Daniel Eustis. The
young men shook hands cordially. and
then Daniel asked:
Where do you keep yourself now-a-
days?"
rive been out OF town for a week,
and got back within the last hour.
Seen my pretty cousin?" asked DAN
iel, with a significant smile, gracefully
shaking few gray flakes from MS
cigar.
Certainly / have" answered Horace
Nichols. And his smile said very pain
ly that he was quite ready, and proud
to avow the fact before the whole
world.
Daniel Eustis was fond OF a joke
This time he put on a slightly mystic
rious expression, and continued: We'll,
it's fortunate you've got back again,
for your own peace Of heart, and that
of my pretty cousin, too"
What do you mean?' asked the
other, half indifferenty, supposins
that this was merely some Of Daniels
nonsense.
"Oh, nothing; only Helen insists that
If Cecilia wasn't just the little saint
that she is she should certainly be
jealous, for George Marshall was SO
deeply impressed the day they were
out together He says she's perfectly
charming, and he's a man of taste
Horace; you may be glad TO have him
endorse your choice"
when and where were George Mar
shall and Cecilia Howard out together?
What do you mean, Daniel?" The
voice was that of man who would
not be put off.
why, man alive, nothing serious;
only that Mr.. Marshall and Cecilia
Howard were out together In the Park,
last Thursday afternoon, with Helen
and myself, and we had capital time
of it."
sacred word and honor, that these two
your cousin and George Marshall
passed last Thursday afternoon to-
gether in the Park?"
"Of course l do" answered Daniel.
with a stare. There was no harm in
that, was there? Helen and 1 were
alongside" For II now required to
Daniels memory that his sister had
told him with a covert sneer that she
did not think Mr. Nichols liked George
Marshall very well, he was quite too
great saint for that
That's all, Daniel. Good morning"
And touching his hat, Horace walked
off.
Horace Nichols did not go to the
bank, as he intended He went home
with fierce longing in his soul that
he might die.
The woman OF his love and trust had
proved herself liarl The word seemed
TO blaze and curl in fiery lines before
him, as he hurried on.
For the next three hours no human
eyes beheld Horace Nichols. At the
end OF that time his resolution was
taken. He would see Cecilia no more;
he would write her a brief note. ac-
quainting her with all he had learned
that morning, and the terrible conse-
quences 1T had wrought for both of
them. Then he would take the steamer
which sailed the next day for Europe.
Cecilia Howard had passed the most
miserable day OF her life. She had gone
about with a weight OF remorse upon
her soul which she could not put aside
for one moment, and looking forward
to the night, when Horace should come
TO her, with unutterable fear and dread.
Hour after hour that night she lis
tened, trembling, and afraid for the
footsteps Of Horace Nichols, but great
" n he a
concluded at last that some business
must have detained him, and fearing
that her courage might fail her In his
presence, resolved that before she slept
she would write him letter, telling
him all that she had done and suffered.
She did not sleep that night until
the letter was written.
II was delivered to him with several
others, and he was then In the midst
of preparations for his departure at
noon. He tossed the whole into a
drawer, and an hour later tore the en-
velopes hastily and ran them over. Ce-
elias letter had slipped behind the
others among a pile of unimportant
papers and escaped his notice.
A year had passed. During this time
Horace Nichols had been a wanderer
in many lands and now he was to re-
turn home.
The third morning after his return.
the young man went TO the room which
he had formerly occupied. Nothing
had been changed during his absence.
He opened the small table drawer,
rummaged among its papers, which
Law lust as he had left them, and in
overturning these his eye suddenly fell
upon the letter which Cecilia Howard
had last written him.
His heart gave a quick bound, for he
knew the handwriting. He sat down,
and after a little while opened the let
ter. When he had read II, he laid ii
down on the table, and thought.
Cecilia Howard sat sewing, that
morning, before the pleasant CRATE fire
in the sitting room. She was hum
ming fragments of some sweet, old
fashioned tune to herself. She was
not much changed, except in that
change which is OF the soul, and which
touches and sublimates the whole face.
Horace Nichols stood still and looked
at her a few moments as she sat there.
for he had opened the door softly, az
the domestic who knew him well. had.
at his request teld him where to find
Cecilia, and that she was quite alone.
for Mrs Howard happened TO be abb
sent that morning.
"Ceeiliaw 1t was said almost I'm a
whisper.
Horace Nichols came forward very
humbly: many feelings struggled I'm his