Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-01-05

| uScu ~, ue 'lAS w SItu DIltIly.
There was a pause. Dick began to
wish his father-in-law elect would
hasten his return.
"When is your wedding to be?" was
the net question.
The stranger spoke as one who has
n right to ask, and Dick found himself
answering meekly.
"Next week, the twentieth. l wanted
it sooner, but Constance said she
wouldn't be married until after the
sixteenth. The fact is, she was en-
gagged before"
He stopped abruptly, vexed with him.
self. What on earth could his affairs,
and Constance's, matter to this man?
Il quite understand" replied the other,
in his level tones. 81 have heard Of
Miss Merton's former engagement"
"Oh, l see." Dick looked relieved.
He hated explanations, and reflected
that this was probably some old family
friend. He lit another cigarette and
resumed in more confidential tone.
you see, she had been engaged to
this chap for nearly year; Forsyth
his name was, and then he went abroad
and forgot her, the brute"
How do you know he forgot herr"
The question was one, apparently, OF
idle curiosity.
Dick flung his cigarette into the fire
with energy. "Oh, well, when man
never writes, or answers letters, for
two years, you naturally conclude he
has forgotten. And Con has waited
until just now. Why it's only two
months ago that she promised to marry
me, though 1 have known her all my
life, and cared for her, too You see,
she thought she was still bound by her
promise And nothing would induce
her to be married until after the six.
teeuth, because that was his birthday,
and he had once said they should be
married on that day. But that was
yesterday"
| There was a silence, broken only
by the snow beating against the win
dows.
"There may have been reasons why
| he-that man Forsyth-did not write.
In the depths OF the bush there are
many difficulties. Letters are lost,
people one has trusted prove unfaith-
| full"
There was an undercurrent of pas
sion in his tone not lost upon his
hearer. He stood up, straightforward
and tall, on the hearth-rug.
II hope you don't think I'm not act.
ing on the square by this chap For
sytb," he said warmly. But it does
! b. hac
wasted two years over goodfor-
nothing chap. And 1 mean to make
| it up to her now"
The other man smiled oddly. 81 be-
| lieve you, Captain Charteris," he said,
slowly, "but If you won't deem it an
impertinence I should like to ask you
one question"
by all means"
"Does she-Constance, Miss Merton
care any more? 1 mean, of course,
she has forgotten the other man."
Dick smiled happily. "Quite, 7 am
sure" he said frankly. 81 fatter my
self that l occupy his place in her
thoughts now, lucky chap that I ann
Then, to redeem the last words from
any suspicion of egotism, he added:
"She was so young, you know; only
seventeen when she was first engaged
to Forsyth, and he was old enough to
be her father"
The other man made no answer He
looked the young man up and down,
his eyes resting curiously on Dick
Charteris's fair, boyish face. Some
thing between sigh and groan came
from his lips and startled Dick.
SIS anything the matter" he asked,
| quickly.
'No-thanlls;' the other recovered
himself with an effort But 1 don't
think, after all, I can wait to see Sir
| Godfrey. II will write"
81 am leaving England" he said
with an obvious effort, "and it is I'M
likely We shall ever meet again. VIII
You shake hands?' and Dick, obeying
some strange impulse, grasped his
hand and shook it warmly.
He accompanied his strange visitor
to the hall door and opened it. The
snow was falling very fast now. For
one moment the man stood bareheaded
on the steps. Goodbye, goodbye"
he murmured, but he did not look at
Dick. He seemed rather to be talking
TO some one unseen. At the foot of
the steps he paused. solitary black
figure in n white world.
John Forsyth is dead, dead" The
words came to Charters with an in
tcnsity that was very solemn.
Feeling an odd sensation of uneasi-
ness, Dick went back to the warm and
cheerful smoking room. He piled up
the logs in the CRATE and glanced half
cNpectantly round the room. Some
thing white lay under the chair where
his late visitor had been sitting. He
picked it up. Only a half-tone en-
velope, addressed to "John Forsyth,
Esq" He rang the bell violently
THE gentleman would not wait to see
Sir Godfrey, after ALL" he said care
lessly TO the servant. "Did-did he
leave his name with you, Hilton?"