The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-06-01

they walked along. He marveled at
the unimpassioned manner in which she
had received the news of Aliens being
alive. She was still very white, and
Not the expression Of joy he would have
expected to see. She walked RAPIDLY.
paying no heed to Dare.
He put his hand gently on her arm.
do not walk so fast, Monica. You
will tire yourself out.
She did not reply, but went tr1orp
slowly.
Monica" began Dare, hesitatinsly. II
from Allen.'
"What is it, Laurence? You are hid
ing something. What is the mystery :?
tery'
Monica, l believe you are brayc
girl: Call up your pride now''
Laurence, what is ;t?'
He looked around hastily. 1t was but
short distance to the rocks at the cove
and the place was deserted.
Let us go, down there. l cannot talk
to you here"
She followed him submissively.
Thoughts of their last interview at this
place came to her mind. How miserable
she had been then, and how miserable
now. Allen was alive, and she, wretched
Eiirl' was not glad She did not love
u,
but she must be faithful to Allen. Lau-
renee must never guess what wicked
girl she was. Allen alive, and she not
glad. and what was Laurence going to
tell her?
Dare seated her in sheltered position
compassion in his eyes.
Monica, | would give my life to spare
you this. Allen is Il scoundrel.'
lie drew the letter from his pocket,
opening it slowly.
speak SOP
Then, as he did not answer, she said
with touch of imperiousness in her
voice:
LET me read it,"
He gave it to her and she read. She
passed hastily over the preliminary lines.
Il shall wait until later, Laurence, old
boy. to give you the details Of all these
years Briefly, the enterprise on which l
came out here failed. I kept on trying
others, hoping to achieve some measure
or SUCCESS before returning home, but
one failure succeeded another. Finally I
was taken i'll with rheumatic fever, The
woman at whose house | was STAYING
nursed me through it, and her daughter,
one OF the sweetest girls in the state
heiped her Call me all the hard names you
WISH Laurence. I'll not try to excuse
myself, but fell in love with her and we
were married. l was coward, l know,
but she loved me to distraction, and we
are very happy. Believe me. l have not
been easy when | thought of my mother
and Monica. But l met Melton last
week as he was passing through to San
francisco. He told me that YOU all be-
lieved me dead. and that Monica was re-
ported to be engaged to you so she is
conso!ed and will forgive me. That is
why l am writing to disclose my where
abouts. ! am fairly prosperous and shall
have mother come out here immediately.
l know she will forgive me, and she will
hnd the sweetest little daughter-in-law
in the country. You will suit Monica far
better than | should have done. You
have the same high ideals of duty and all
that sort of thing confess to living on
lower plane"
Monica read no further but threw the
letter down with a little cry and hid her
face in her hands. Dare stood looking
at her sadly.
My darling, if 1 could have spared
you this he said.
Present Monica looked up at him and
said TREMENDOUSLY:
Laurence. l tried all along to be faith
full to Allen, but
But what, Monica?'
She stood up and looked into his eyes a
heeting glance, butt was enough for
Dare.-Emily S. Windsor in Buffalo Cou-
rier