The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-03
BY J. j. BELL.

/. BELL.
I Tor she never anticipated that a man of
| his impertinence would lose an oppor-
tunity of attempting to make some adj
Vances She was bound to admit that
his latest action was the right one; but.
| for all that, she was angry.
| When she returned home an hour later
the first sight that met her eyes was
| that OF her father and the artist sitting
In the garden smoking the pipe of peace
| and indulgfng in amiaible discourse
! Mr. Andrews, the son of an cid col
lego friend" said the minister, intro
ducing his guest to his daughter.
| me artist and the girl bowed distant
| ly, and it was relief when presently the
| party Was summoned to tea. Mr An
drews was quite at his ease, and made
merry with the younger members of the
| FAMILY in a way which won them to him
| before the meal was over Mr. Sandford.
the minister, forgot his money worries
more completely than he had done FOR
years, while his wife, poor woman, let
her motnerly heart go out to this young
man, VINO could apparently bring a laugh
TO her partners lips at least every five
minutes. So 1t was not strange that the
young artist, on his departure was over
Wheimed with invitations to return. And
OF course, he would be delighted Ffe
was lodging at the ganekeeper's. .Iu the
glen. where it was lonely of all evening
Murfel, who had disappeared immediate
~ after tea, could not be found to say
good night to the departing guest. who
took his way homeward with a smile IN
MS lips and pain In his heart Surely
ne tnougnt, she need not have been So
unlorgfv1ng. Then he laughed at himself
| ana tried to whistle, while he felt in his
| pockets for his pipe. Botheration! He
mao ie1t 1t at the minister's. Knowing too
wen by experience that to go to bed pipe
less meant night of misery he retraced
his steps. 1t was almost dark as ne near
! ed the house, but he could distinguish a.
| hgure standing by the gate, and his heart
| gave great thump when he realized that
| 1T was Muriel.
Had she recognized him in time she
! would undoubtedly have fed, but his hand
was heid out to her ere she could go.
| Please said gently
| The time for his punishment and her
revenge had come She knew that she
bad power to wound him, to discomfit
| MN cruelty. But she delayed
Please" he said again. And some
now she put her fingers In his.
| Friends"' he asked in mere whis
| per.
Il think So" she returned softly: then
broke from him and hurried into the
house.
| After some search Jack found his pine
| In the garden and went home singing
| to himself
IT was near the end of August bv
Whlch time the artist was like one of
| the Sanford family, that a foreign teIe
gram was delivered to Muriel. 1t stat
ca briefly that Edward Wingate was
leaving at once for home They. An
dreWs included, were sitting in the gar
oen at the time. and Mrs. Sanford OBJ
| serving her daughter turn gllastIv. ask
ed, in alarm, If Edward were Ill.
Muffel, recovering, vead the message
and added somewhat pettishIy. 81 hate
| tna slght or telegram at any time!'
oione know you had a son abroad
remarked the artist, turning to the min
| lister.
He will be my son some day, I hope
returned Mr.. Sandford, noddinR ar
fectionateiy at his eldest daughter. who
suddenly rose and, without word en-
tered the house.
Poor girl!'' said Mrs Sanford; 1.-The
COCO news Is a little too much for her.
| Won't you wait for tea. Mr.. An
drews?' she said, noticing the artist
| preparing to go.
MOI tonight, thank you," he returned
smlnng. There's good light just now,
ana I've something I would like to get
DONE ~ 7e1
But he did not go to his lodgings for
ms iiaeel1a4s. he passed the gamekeep-
ers house, walked further I'D the glen
ellnoeo the hillside and came to the
secluded heathery nook where he had nrst
seen Murfel. and there he lay down.
An hour passed, and still he did not
move, and Muriel, who had come to her
Old haunt to be alone with her thoughts.
stood at little distance regarding him
she tried to turn and go the way she
mad come, but she could not, and relin-
gushing the struggle she drew near and
kneN beside him.
"Jack!' she whispered, stroktng his hair
and bracing herself for the reproaches
she expected
But here was no anger in the man.
lie looked at her for a little He put his
arms ABOUT her and kissed her And then
he rose and walked down the hillside.
Inc woman was too stunned to call aft
er him, and yet she understood that Jack
the ne er-do-well who had more than
once confessed his sins to her, was trying
to do the right thing at last
In the morning the gamekeeper lost his
LOGGER and the minister received a friend
~ note to say that the artist had been
called TO town suddenly. large parcel
Tor Mur1el was opened in her room She
knew what 1t was before she united it.
but she had not believed the artist capa-
bic of the work before her. the picture of
herself which she beheld through her
tears. To her 1T seemed perfect though
enclosed with it was a sheet of paper
bearing the single word, Unfinished in
Jacks handwriting. There was no other
message.
the days that followed brought no
comfort to Muriel; rather did they in
crease her burden At first she embraced
the idea that, on Edward Wingate's ar
rival, all would be well, that with his
face before her eyes the past would be
blotted out like a dream. She fought
against the voice that cried False,
false! in her soul, and she strove
against the tears that crept into her
eyes, and the sigh of Diminished" that
came to her on the night watches. When
1T wanted but week to the coming Of
her betrothed, 1t required her uttermost
strength to prevent her agony Of mind
manifesting itself. Her parents won-
dered at her lack of emotion, and would
| fadn have spoken to her. but she con-
trived to laugh at each critical moment
AT last came the evening preceding the
morning when Edwards ship the Nor
ven, was due to reach port. About
o'clock, the October night being sweet
and mild, Muriel stood at the gate, glad
to be free from the kindly chaff and
teasing Of the household All day she
had endured a refined torment and now
she felt sick and weary of her life
There was peculiar, strained look in
her eyes, and sometimes she felt as if the
trouble of her heart mad become an
actual physical pain.
The wind blew softly from the sea- and
faint, rainy mist crept up the glen.
Suddenly Muriel looked into the dark and
nod Mo- oh hoI