The Chanute times., 1903-07-17

'S4 Z
His eyes ran over the sweet words.
hind him, he asked, "Whom is your
letter from, Annie? 1t seems to please
you very much"
She leaned forward to him, with the
paper in her little trembling hand,
and said:
1T is from Cornelia."
my God!" he calculated, and the
words were fraught with such feeling,
as could have found no other vehicle
of expression.
"She has sent you, dear George, a
copy of the letter you ought to have
received more than two years ago.
Read it,"
His eyes ran rapidly over the sweet
words, his face famed, his hands
trembled, he cried out impetuously:
But what does it mean? Am l
quite in my senses? How has this let
ter been delayed? Why do get only
a copy?"
Because Mr.. Van Ariens has the
original
1T is all incredible. What do you
mean, Annie? Do not keep me in
such torturing suspense"
1T means that Mr.. Van Ariens ask
ed Cornelia to marry him on the same
day that you wrote to her about your
marriage. She answered both letters
in the same hour, and misdirected
them"
Gods death! How can punish so
mean a scoundrel? will have my
letter from him, if l follow him round
the world for it."
ed Cornelia to write 1t again for you;
and you see she has done 1t gladly"
"Angel of goodness! But l will
have my first letter"
1T has been in that mans keeping
for more than two years. l would not
touch it. 'Twould infect a gentleman
and make of him a rascal just as
base"
He shall write me then an apology
in his own blood. l will make him
do 1t, at the point of my sword. Re-
member, Annie, what this darling
girl suffered. For his treachery she
nearly died l speak not of my own
wrong-it is as nothing to hers"
However she might have been
more careful"
"Annie, she was in the happy hour
of love. Your calm soul knows not
what a confusing thing that is-she
made a mistake, and that sneaking
villain turned her mistake into a
crime. By Gods mercy, it is found
out-but how? Annie! Annie, how
much l owe you! What can I say?
What can | do?"
BE reasonable. Mary Damer really
found it out. His guilty conscience
forced him to tell her the story,
though to be sure, he put the wrong
on people he did not name. But
knew so much of the mystery Of your
love sorrow, as to put the stories to-
gether, and find them fit. Then /
wrote to Cornelia."
How long ago?"
about two months"
why then did you not give me
hope ere this?"
Il would not give you hope, till hope
was certain. Two years is long
time in a girls life. 1t was a possible
thing for Cornelia to have forgotten
to have changed"
Impossible! She could not forget.
She could not change. Why did you
not tell me? | should have known her
heart by mine own"
Il wished to be sure" repeated
Annie. little more sadly.
Forgive me, dear Annie. But this
news throws me into an unspeakable
condition. You see that must leave
for America at once"
mo. l do not see that, George" b"
But If you consider"
Il have been considering for two
months. Let me decide for you now,
for you are not able TO do so wisely.
Write at once to Cornelia; that is
your duty as well as your pleasure.
But before you go to her there are
things indispensable to be done. Will
you ask Doctor Moran for his child.
and not be able to show him that you
can care for her as she deserves to be