Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-16
MAR " 5 AN NSWE R

in no very sanguine frame of mind. He still felt that Boer bullet in his right leg and his complexion, as well as his nerves, reminded him of the fever which had brought him near to deaths door. Worst of all was the news from Nellerton. Mary Dudley-his Mary-had inher- ited 92O,000 from her uncle Harold, and-and, if that letter of the rattle tongue gossip, Miss Brayshaw, to his mother was to be believed Mary was on the high road to title Sir Taryer Brown was very little other than a baronet; but the attraction of a .''ladyship" could hardly help tempt ing even such girl as sweet Mary Dudley.
 The younger member of the firm received Dick with sympathy, but no enthusiasm.
 s'You don't look fit for an office desk, MT. Jerram-oh, I beg your pardon, Lieut.. Jerram, isn't it, now?' he said, with sneering laugh.
 q was offered a commission, but I did not feel that I could accept it, sir,'' said Dick. q want to take up my work again-for various reasons"
 MT. Ernest Carrington's eyebrows rose and subsided.
 'sI'm very sorry, Mir. Jerram," he said, ''but just at present there is no vacancy. We will, of course, give you the first chance-the very first chance that occurs"
 'sDo you really mean it?" he asked, faintly
 My dear fellow, you really are not fit for office work just yet. Take holiday after your trying labors-- your noble and-er-patriotic self sacrifice. I dare say, in a few months, at the most, we can squeeze you in somewhere, though I fear even then we cannot offer you the same salary you received in 1899." With an effort, Dick pulled himself together, and stood up, like the disci- plined soldier he had become.
 'Your words are final, sir?" he asked.
 Provisional, Jerram-only provi- sional. But we can't afford to cheer you with hopes that may not come to fruition. Anything we can do in the way of recommendations, it will give us the utmost pleasure to do. Good heavens It is the least we could do!''
 Dick bowed his head The smile on his lips was just little bitter.
 Quite so," he said "It is some thing to be grateful for that you are so willing to do the least possible. Good morning."
 And then Dick found himsels in St. the last straw had been piled upon his head. fff
 Mary as good as lost to him-more 1 certainly now than before, anyway i his situation filled up, his health broken, and no one to whom he could honorably look for help in his time i of trouble.
 He found comfort in the recollec- tion that his mothers own poor lit- tie income was sufficient for her we'll measured requirements.
 'As for me- lsI3
 He shrugged his shoulders and tot tered down Ludgate hill. On his way he noticed a jewellers window, with watches and chains and pins and rings of price beneath his eyes-espe- cially rings. And the rings reminded him of what it hurt him most to. re- member.
 He looked at his left hand with the 1 plain but solid gold ,circlet, set with tiny diamond, and the words, in- l visible to his eyes, but pressing his | f11or T
 That was Mary's voucher to him for her lifelong love.
 At length he moved again. .sYes, that's what I'll do," he murmured. Poor girl! One can't blame her. She shall marry him with a free conscience, at all events"
 Then once again he whispered:
 sAs for me-
 At the Kings Arms inn of Neller- ton, that evening, Dick took pen and paper and wrote the letter to Mary which was to accompany the re- turned ring. It was short and to the point:
 Dear Mary: Somehow, though would like to keep this, can't do it. and so I bring it back to you; ard you mustn't think 1 mean to be nasty by making 1t come to you on your birthday. quite understand 1 that things are changed between us Wish ing you all the happiness life can give you, believe me, sincerely yours always
 RICHARD JERRAM
 "No drivel in that, think,'' he said, with. a pang of pride when he had read it and folded it up. The ring was in a little box and the let ter was now wrapped round the box. The whole was addressed to Miss Mary Dudley, 2 Deyonshire road.
 In the darkness he tottered out Devonshire road way. He gazed at the house and the lighted window in Mary's bedroom -gazed and gazed till l he felt silly. And then he tottered back and went to bed. He lay restlessly, now wishing wild ly, now dumbly resigned to all things.
 Once it occurred to him to wonder what the maid of the inn meant by smiling like that when she gave him his candle and said a gay 'sgood night" But he had far -intenser stimulants to thought than that, and the damsel soon drifted away from him.
 His most strenuous moments fol- lowed the realization that he had l,oa,, oo o,.o1aee ,o,,ot10b fr 1aox,, M,