The Opelousas courier., 1902-11-08
Story Of TWO Letters.

DR.. Ian Fraser and Jim Grant, his
college chum, met on a busy street
of Ayr after a long separation. DIR.
Fraser was Ayr's most popular ply
sician, and Grant was a Glasgow
journalist. After a few hearty words
Of greeting, DR.. Fraser dragged his
friend home with him to dinner.
Halt an hour later, as they sat in
the doctors coy bachelor rooms ex-
changing "reminiscences across the
dinner table, Jim's eyes CHANGED to
light upon a photo on a side table, and
he grew pale.
"You have a photo there that re-
calls some bitter memories to me-" he
said.
"Whose?"
MRS. Forests. You know herr"
Pretty we'll. She's been one of
my patients for a WHILE" and the doc
tor flushed slightly.
His friend observed 1t, and shook
his head.
Ian, my lad, I can see you're be-
coming one of the moths"
why, what do you mean?"
I hope your wings have not been
80 badly singed at the flame as mine
were. But let me explain. II was
at Brodick last summer that l met
Mrs. Forrest for the first time. You
know what she is like-young, not
more than twenty-five, though four
years a widow, beautiful as a Greek
goddess, and fascinating beyond
words. A few days of increasing in
timacy and I was blindly in love
blindly. For three weeks l was
at her beck and call. Then the
awakening came; and one night when
I parted from her at the garden gate,
the lips that had returned my kisses
babe me a final goodbye, with the
smiling hope that I had spent a pleas
ant holiday"
He paused a moment gazing bitter
ly ut the photo, while the doctors face
became hard and set.
II was one of the moths" he con-
tinued, with a mirthless laugh, land
I have since learned that we are quite
a large a9d varied collection"
The doctors face was as pale as
that OF his friend, and his voice was
husky as he said:
I'm sorry for you lad; but per-
haps you have saved me in time"
"Ah!"
"Ay, she plays her cards well, and
I'VE been blind, or I would have seer
that I met her for the first time
about two months ago. when she had
O cycling accident opposite my con-
sulting rooms, and was brought in.
She had sprained her ankle, she said,
and after attending to 1t I drove to her
house in Racecourse road. At her re-
quest ] called occasionally, oftener
than was necessary for all the injury
that I could discover. Then her
daughter Marjory, a dear little girl of
four, took whooping cough, and my
visits though nominally professional,
gradually became more frequent and
more friendly. During the last week
/ have been attending her for q cold,
and I had promised to call tonight;
but after what l have heard / shall
write q note of apology, and break of
my relationship with her"
Three hours later this fascinating
young widow who regarded her life's
mission as the breaking of mems
hearts sat in her room with an open
letter In her hand, her face chang
color as she read:
Dear Mrs. Forrest-Circumstances
which / cannot here explain render it
for me to keep my appoint
ment tonight, or indeed to claim a con-
tinuance of our present relationship;
and / beg that from this time you will
cease to regard me either as your
MEDICAL advisor or acquaintance. In
the interests Of both of us it is better
that we should not meet again, and
| hope, therefore, that you will let me
pass as quickly out Of your mind as
| entered It.
"Yours truly.
TAN FRASER"
! Her first feeling was of anger and
pride. then came the con-
that this man had stirred
her heart as no other had ever done.
Il will not lose him yet" she ex.
I'm the cool Of the June eventide the
.wo friends passed arm and arm along
he sands, breathing the freshness OF
The sea beach and reveling in its
freedom with the keen appreciation of
he o~erworked.
Across the firth rose the peaks OF
Aran purpied by the setting SUM-; In
the rocl-built ruin of Greenan
Castle stood clear against the amber
As they drew near the castle a
Foung woman who sat reading at the
'ase Of the rock suddenly raised her
lead and looked toward them.
Hal" whispered Jim. "That's
Iurely . fair specimen Of Ayr's bon
lie lassies. Who is she?"
Il don't know. | haven't seen her
lefore. Certainly she's very bonnie.
But hilloa! what's up?"
Tbs girl had sprang to her feet, and
vas gazing anxfously up and down
he beach. Presently her eyes rested
q the summit Of the rock. her face
rev white as death, and she stood
moment as II snellbonnd Then