Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-12-19

thaG she had done her duty, but to her
there seemed no CLEAN of brightness in
her failure life.
Abel Sternford was kind, courteous.
generous. but try as she might she felt
no particle of affection foT him.
Philip hedcliffe returned invalided from
the front.
He had heard of her engagement before
they met, and wished her JOY with all
ms former frankness-
At first she saw little of him. for he
was still weak from fever and lame from
a bullet-weund ia the foot. but after a
few weeks he resumed his old habit of
calling most days at the court, and as
he never by n word or glance referred, to
the past, Lefty gradually lost the shy
ness she had at first felt i'll his presence.
and treated him with less and less re
serve.
Sir Michael always welcomed him
| heartily. He had never suspected Philips
passion for Lefty, and locked upon him
as ane OF the family.
| lie was pleased, too, to sec his daugh-
/ ter throw off her lassitude, and instead
OF remaining moped up in the house all
] day, go out for walks and rides with
Philip.
| Lefty hardly recognized the change IN
! herself till she received a telegram one
/ day from Abel Sternford saying that he
| had completed his business sooner than
he had expected. and was starting that
very day for England
1t was the cold chill of disappointment
| that fell upon her that opened her ewes
to the fact that her heart was no lonrer
dead.
Her face, which had paled On reading
the dispatch, Redeemed with burning
blush.
She had never pretended 90 love Abel
Sternford He had been content to take
her, trusting to the future. So far she
was free from blame There was this
one thing to be dOne-sh must crush
this newborn love in her heart.
Philip happening to come 10 dinner
that evening, she handed him the tee-
gram with a smile.
You will be introduced TO Mr.. Stern
ford earlier than we expected she said.
Those steamers run so quickly now that
we shall have him here in another week"
Her heart throbbed for one guilty sec
Ond as she noted the pallor that over
| spread his face, and how the hand which
grasped the paper shook. Then she
! turned her eyes away, and neither of
them betrayed again that night the
secret of their hearts.
The week passed, and Philip never
called at the court.
Lefty told herself she WAS glad. that
Philip was behaving nobly; but in the
bottom of her heart she oraNed for o
sight of his face, to hear his voice once
more, and wished that he had not shown
such heroic fortitude.
1t was not till the afternoon of the
day on which she expected Abel Stern
ford's return that she and Philip met
1t was i'll the Monks Wood, and she
had gone there to see if any OF the white
violets had yet Powered
II have come to say goodbye. Lefty
he said, as they met. Except for bit
of lameness i am quite sound again so
| am off to the front once more. | should
have been here an hour ago, but my horse
SHE'D, and turned the trap over into the
ditch, so | had to walk the last two
miles" Then, seeing she did not answer.
he added, Il could not go away without
telling you how | hope you viii have a
happy life"
Letty's fortitude gave way The tears
rose to her eyes.
"Oh. Philip. l am sending you away
again" she sobbed Last time Won were
wounded. This time you may be killed,
and it will all be my fault"
"Nonsense!" he answered cheerfully
"Once soldier, YOU know, always a sol
der. It's my duty, dear, just as yours
is to marry Mr.. Sternford and be his
true wife But I'll ask one thing of you.
just for old friendships sake Give me
those few violets you have picked. You
did so once before"
In answer the girl drew from the
bosom of her dress the little silk sachet
in which few withered violets reposed.
| She pressed them into his hand, and
then turned and fed back to the house.
Philip Radcliffe, after seeing her dis
appear, hmped slowly away, cursing his
fate.
He united the little bag and saw the
poor withered violets, gathered a year
ago, but which still retained their scent
At the first stile he came to he stopped
\ to rest. and so absorbed was he that ne
never noted anyone approaching till he
| felt hand laid On his should er.
| He looked up and saw tall middle
aged man. with a clean shaven, rather
stern face, looking down on him.
| MY Il&IIG rs ADei SbSEUIOIu, SalG LHe
stranger May ! ask, sir, what yours
is:
"Aht" he said, when Philip told him.
you are the friend of Miss Monkston
who has been at the front l did not
know you had come hack Now, sir, |
tell you frankly l CHANGED to see the
scene between you and Miss Monks ton
yo,idor. | want 10 know the meaning of
| it. / don't blame Miss Monkston, mind
you, but it's best for you and me tn
spoak out plainly as between man and
man"
There is very little 70 say, Mr.. Stern
! ford" Philip answered. "A year ago
asked Miss Monkston to be my wife, and
she rejected me. / came back TO find her
engaged 10 you. ] give You my word %.
honor as gentleman and an officer that
no word of love has passed between Us
since my return. | loved her. however
as ! always shall and could not 60 again
to the front. as l am going, without bid
ding her goodbye. l was on my way to
/ tina court when | Chancea TO meet her in