Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-09-19

| fensive in her cause.
II will tell you!" said Shirley, excit
eddy. ....
And so deeply was DR.. Bethune in.
terested that the physician was quite
lost in the lover. He failed to observe
that his patient Was in fair way tc
bring back the fever and deliriun
which had hardly yet left him.
ITO my great misfortune, Miss Lin
gard chose to fall in love with me, a:
! you know, Frank"
'Too Well" DR.. Bethune interrupted
II ought to have hated you, Shirley, as
men usually hate those who rival them
in the affections of the woman they
adore. But I didn't couldn't-my
dear old fellow! I suppose it was the
memory of the wild savage's spear
from which you saved me when we first
ret; or, perhaps it was because Adei5
loved you. or perhaps both. Be the
reason what it may, never Lated you
and rever could. When saw, beyond
all doubt, thai tie woman I loved nc
longer loved me-perhaps never had
loved me, and, worse than all, loved ar
other man. I tore myself from her
though it nearly killed me, and hoped
fortunate friend"
Nothing could exceed the nobleness
AMI generosity of Your conduct, Frank;
but Miss Lingard was unworthy of it.
Don't let me pain you by anything I
may say. I would gladly spare you all
unkind references to her, hut that is
impossible, for I must tell you the cir
cumstances as they occurred.
Il need hardly say that it was neces-
sary for her to make the fact of her
rrefere nee for me very plain indeed be-
fore even suspected it. Unfortunate
ly, she had many opportunities of
thrusting herself and her attentions
OH my notice.
Being, as you know, stranger In
Melbourne, and being in manner CIV
er into his charge by his oldest and
dearest friend, Mr.. Lingard showed me
every kindness, receiving me into his
own family and trea ting me as son.
II was charmed with Miss Lingard
at first, and would gladly have treated
her as a sister, but she soon made it
plain that her feelings were of a warm
err description. 1 was panied and NOR
titled by her preference, and everything
that gentleman could do was done By
me to show that I never could recipro-
cate the kind of regard with which she
chose to favor me.
st even went so far rs to show her
the portrait of Clarice, which always
carried and to speak openly Of my en-
gagement. So far from curing her of
her misplaced attachment, tais course
only Infatuated her.
%0 Oh
place of residence, but Mr.. Lingard
would not hear OF my proposal to leave
his house. He opposed it so violently
that Was obliged, for the time, to give
IN all reference to it, fearing that
might betray the real reason why ]
wished to find another home, and know
ing, intuitively, how humiliating such a
state of affairs would be to the father
who thought all the virtues and graces
had found a dwelling place in the heart
and mind Of his beautiful daughter.
my position now became lett dis
tressing, however, for Miss Lingard nc
longer prosecuted me with such signs
of her affection as were calculated to
embarrass me.
"After some exhibitions of Jealous
rage and many unmaidenly tokens OF
preference, she quite changed her tao
tics, and chose to pose as a martyr
This she did so we'll that for a time she
really interested me. I pitied her. If
my heart had not been irrevocably
gone might even have loved her.
"She was very beautiful, in her dark
imperious, Spanish style; and the pal
lor that came to her fine face, and the
pathetic look that came into her eyes
showed that she really suffered. NC
man whose heart was free could have
resisted her; but mine would never be
free again, and I was safe.
"It was about this time that yor
came to Melbourne, and resumed you!
visits to Mr.. Lingard's house. O1
course, I instantly recognized you a:
| the person whose life 1 had saved, in {
far-off, savage portion of the country
on the occasion of my first arrival ir
it, before went to Melbourne; but il
was some little time before guessed
that you had been former and ia
vored lover of my hosts daughter.
i"When Gid understand the matter
however, my plying federation of Mis-!
Lingard became contempt, which
could hardly conceal. I may as wei
|
could not do otherwise than despise ;
] woman who. already. .betrothed to an
| other, and protesting to love him
A could, with such. indicate directness
throw herself ait a man who never CAV.
her the shadow Of an excuse. I'D h..
These are things which I never sale
to you before. but what 1mmediatel!
follows you know as well as I. There
fore, will pass over it as quickly a!
possible.
You are not likely to forget you
own stormy interview with her, when
reminding her of her engagement t
! yourself, and her changed manner, sh'
told you plainly how she no longe
loved you and that all her Thoughts
were devoted to another; nor shall
ever forget your noble remuneration o
her, and the manner in which you bad
me adieu, asking only that I woult
make her as happy. as you. would hav'
/ tried to do In my place. Y" .s..
"Beforc I had quite realized you
words you had gone, believing that
loved her, anil that. your absence re
moved the only obstacle to our mar
riage. When recovered from the sur
prise into which your words hat
4 Thrown me Won had already left Mel