Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-02

/ reading the telegram. he had intended
to burn them, but eventually he re-
| placed them in the orevice under the
window seat.
pt seemed to him a terrible and, un-
merited misfortune that Captain Bryce
should have returned on the Sonoma
instead of waiting for the Grant, as he
had written that he would do. That
would have given nearly a month more
time. and the game might have been
won.
ut may be won yet" he said, with
his lip crushed between his teeth.
In the Grafton Memorial day pro-
| cession Miss Worthington was the cap
tain of a company, a very sweet and
lovable company composed Of singing
children from the schools. This lit
tie force had been brought into ex-
cellent discipline. They marched with
a precision that excited applause every
where, and when they were halted at
last in the position assigned to them
in the pretty cemetery on the hill their
alignment was much better than that OF
the militia from Grafton Center. Pres
emily, however, they were allowed to
break ranks ana sit down upon the fra
grant banks bordering the cemetery,
and at this moment their captain found
Owen Curtis at her elbow.
Alice" he said, give me your an
swer now. i love you; can't live with
cut you. Think what our lives may be!
I'm a rich man, Alice. The estate has
been settled now. Only yesterday l re.
ceived the final communication from
my counsel in New York. I've been liv-
ing here quietly while all this legal
business has been going on, and, now
it's over l must see the world. We
a go anywhere, do anything. We
shall be absolutely free. Will you
Gomez"
To see the world! To be absolute
ly free. He had struck the right note.
Alice had not a penny Of her own nor
the shadow of a prospect. She was and
had been from early girlhood utterly
dependent Upon George Curtis, whom
she called uncle, though there was no
real kinship. He was a kind and gem
erous man who never made her feel
! her position; yet there were those Of
his household who had not the same
delicacy.
In the last two years when she had
been opposing her will to theirs be-
| cause she loved Frank Bryce and they
all favored Owen Curtis cause there
had been sone bitter moments. And
now Frank had forsaken her; there
must have found some new love on
the other side of the world. He would
return, but If she could be far away,
if she should never see him again, if
he could think that she was happy
would not that be best?
Why such a situation should ever
induce a good woman to mediate mar
riage with a man she does not love is
q problem which no male of the species
will ever be able to solve. But the
thing does happen.
Il want you to go down to Network
with mn ON tho frain fhat 1oauoc oor1u
tomorrow morning" said Curtis.
You can go to my sisters house. I'm
Gle George will make nc objection.
We a be married there at once
why not? No one makes objection.
You know that they will all be glad.
We can sail for Europe next week
and
The girls face was flushed and her
hands were trembling.
Il will think of it," she said. ~ will
talk with Uncle George. All, We must
sing now
She rose and waved her hand. The
children sprang up from the grass.
Curtis looked at4her. his face as
white as the headstone behind him.
IF no thing happens" he said In his
heart, II have won"
The music of the children's voices
throbbed in the dancing air Of the
sweet May morning. When the song
was done, Alice walked to the other
end of the line She did not wish to
hear Curtis speak again; she wished
to think. The mans intensity had