Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-07-31

against the wall, but he turned away
with grim smile. He was not the sort
to run away from trouble when he found
himself face to face with it. He was no
| coward at least
| Then, with an exclamation, he seized
letter which was stuck up on the mantel-
| shelf, possibly put there by his servant
on the previous evening.
1t was letter from his dear little girl
after ALL For minute or two he hardly
dared open it. Then he tore it open and
read its short contents with eager eyes.
Il should have written to you before
now, my dearest-for you are always that
only l have been very i'll and am only
now up on the sofa and can only write
you these few lines to say that l love
you, dear, love you so much that l must
do what seems to me the only thing left
for me to do, and that is to give you
your freedom. l don't blame you, dear.
shall never think badly of you. Al
| ways believe that / love you better than
anything on earth. 1 sign myself for the
last time, Your Dear Little Girl"
Twice he read the little heartbroken
letter. A knock at his door awoke him
from his miserable thoughts with a start.
eight o'clock, SIR" said his servants
voice.
Meaning the little girl you left in
Deyonshire" she said, with hooking
SMILE "Oh, know all about herl Lord
Carruthers-you know him?-told me he
knew her people,"
81 don't know what you mean" he said
hotly. There is but one woman In the
world for me, and she''-
He broke off. A couple were passing
&t-su ALL = 1z-lxA Il. =
tones.
marrying Carruthers, of course. She is
only playing her usual little game with
that nice boy, Dawnay. She might spare
such youngster. That sort of woman
has no mercy
The voices trailed away into silence.
You heard that?" said Dawnay in
hoarse accents. But 1t is not true! 1t
can't be true that you have been playing
with me all these weeksw
The woman looked at him for mo-
ment. Some good angel, rare enough
visitor to her, urged her to tell the truth
for once. She did so with a curious feel
ing of pity. The boy was in such ear
nest.
1T is quite true"
Dawnay staggered to his feet.
For a few terrible minutes he looked at
her in silence-a silence which frightened
her.
Then heaven help the man who loves
you" he said and turned and left her.
Terence Dawnay sat in his quarters
with his head buried in his arms. The
cool dawn crept in through the windows
on the motionless figure. For hours aft
er his return from the ball he had not
moved.
Presently he raised his head and looked
about him with haggard eyes. He got up
stifiy and drew a long breath.
His infatuation was dead. He had
called it love in his youthful ignorance,
but the bewildering light of truth had
dispelled that idea forever What fool
he had been! He stood for a moment
looking out on the still, gray morning and
with sudden flood of remorse remem-
bered the letter to which there had been
no answer-the letter which in moment
of his blind infatuation he had written
to his dear little girl. He loved her
loved her. Dear heaven, had he thrown
away the substance only to find himself
striving to grasp a shadow"
Come in, Stevensp' he shouted as a
sudden idea flashed upon him. Put
sunni lhinSs up III NY Dag. may De
away for day or two. And Just get my
serge out, will you?"
He was still in his mess dress, but his
man paid no attention to that. In few
minutes he was in his usual undress uni
form and striding over to the coloners
quarters.
Obtaining three days leave, he was
able to catch the night mail from Kings
town to Holyhead. and the next after
noon saw his arrival at the little house
where his dear little girl had struggled
back to all the pain of life, which at
present seemed shorn of all its gladness.
He walked straight in. There was no
one to be seen, and, opening the door
gently, he stole into the room where his
dear little girl was lying looking out at
the distant blue sea with such sad, tired
eyes.
She looked around as she heard the
door shut, and cry burst from her lips
cry which brought Terence to her side,
and the next minute he was down on his
knees, holding her to his heart and kiss
ing the cheeks which had grown so thin
and white.
my SWEET he cried. "Only tell me
that you forgive me! Oh. darling. have
been nearly mad since / wrote that letter
to you! Can you ever forget me and take
it back? You shall know all, dearest.
Only tell me that you love me first"
THAT is such very stale story" she
whispered family, with a smile which told
him that the gates of Eden had opened
to him once again.-Womans Life.