Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-03-05

else than Mr.. Alden''
But why not take the perfectly easy
alternative that she is telling the
truth:"
II will," said Kendall. 'if you wish
me to-"
Il am very serious" said Brenda.
'This is promise you are making?"
1T is" replied Kendall. his face
flushed and his voice not quite steady.
cit is my word of honor given to you,
and so twice sacred as the word OF
a friend" he added. "You were good
enough to say that we were friends
two years ago."
Il have better cause to say it now"
she replied. LET me hasten to prove
my sincerity in the usual way. by bur-
dening you with a confidence. You
must be wondering at me-"
"Why?"
because l am here"
1T is fine thing" said Kendall
earnestly. $50 much know"
II will tell you more" reioined
Brenda land it will make you think
better of Mr.. Alden. This tragedy Of
today is a revelation 70 me. but not Of
the kind that you suppose. Mr.. Alden
had not concealed from me that his
heart had been won away. but | did
not understand. He told me Of Miss
Miller's existence two months ago but
l would not hear all he wished to say
He intimated that he had begun to re-
gard her with feelings that made his
engagement to me dishonorablc.
viewed him with pity" and Brenda
laughed very softly and without mirth.
Il was SO incredibly ignorant of every
thing outside my own sphere that
could not imagine the existence Of
such a woman as lies now in that room
out there.
"Clarence said she was an actress,
and he looked at me rs a man upon
re defensive I ran soc him aoW
pictured a siren. Il creature @rotes1uely
unworthy. appealing to Ills wild and
reckless nature with thin articles
that would be clear as glass To him
when he should view them with Il dis
passionate eye. Truly, | WAS only
sorry for him, ashamed Of him little,
y II
ed to me that breaking our engage
ment would be the very worst thing
that could happen to him. and so re-
fused to consider the woman at all.
One meets men in society DR. Ken
dali, whose well known ways of life
have an unfortunate tendency to per-
vert women's ideas in such matters
We admit the existence Of certain per-
sons whom we see in the park With
elegant equipages, but we cannot con-
slider them as rivals"
But surely he spoke of her with
respect" said Kendall.
"Absolute," replied Brenda "but l
thought him the more fool. He said
one evening, l remembcr-and it was
only very short time ago-that Miss
Miller cared nothing for him and never
would. was merely convinced by his
sincerity that the woman was playing
deep game. and l swore by such gods
as | have that | would save him from
her. And so it went on until last even
ing. when he sent me a note which
made it impossible that our engage
ment should continue. 1t was only a
frank, honest statement that his heart
had passed utterly out of his control.
l can see now that he could have done
no better, but | did not take the right
view at the moment. Perhaps it was
because l had heard that day for the
first time that Mr.. Alden's engagement
with me was Of the highest Importance
In his business affairs. If he had al
lowed it to continue for that reason
But he had not. 1t was really all my
doing.
However, to continue. | went to his
! Office today because | was impatient.
and I told him that the engagement
was at an end. That was in ten words.
And the loss of me. DIR. Kendall affect
ed him so little. He was obviously SO
wrapped in an impenetrable happiness
that lost my temper for the first time
in good many years and cut short the
interview. Oh, we were perfectly cour-
teous to each other, and when wc part
ed-most unromantically, with an Gle
vator man rafting the catch Of the
| door to make me hurry we shook
hands upon a VOW Of friendship. But
l was in a shameful rage as left the
building.
81 went up town as far as the shop
| ping district. and wandered aimlessly
in the stores. Then got upon street
car, preferrng it to the loneliness of Il
cab. And 60 it happened that a news
boy thrust the story of this crime into
my face. The paper was wet from the
| DreSs-printed and upOn the street with