Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-05-16

h.a 011 answer, even If it
60 esuiteo IN the loss of both her
friends. Will Haywood as a devoted
l,!enu and admirer had been every.
'nlns that was pleasant; but now If
CAME nearer the idea of Will Haywood
DIS prospective husband-oh. that was
olnerent affair altogether. For she
hne" tnat that was what she meant
her message to imply, and that he
would De quick to so understand it.
Ihen at last the doorbell rang. and
Lettlce heard footsteps crossing the
nail. 4he drawing-room door opened
anu smut again, but her heart was beat
ing SO loudly that she did not hear the
name that had been announced. and
she advanced to meet her visitor with
out raising her eyes from the ground.
| Inc next moment she felt herself
caught In strong pair of arms, and
KISSES were being rained upon her face.
WY sWeetheart-my sweetheart"
mans voice whispered passionately,
again and again, as if it would never
tire OF that delightful repetition.
But What-what was this? The room
Whlrled round, her eyes closed. and
Tor moment she could make no effort
to release her self. For this man who
held her so masterfully, who was show
erlng his kisses on her face, and whis-
perlng passionate endearments in her
ear, was not the Will Haywood she had
expected, but Humphrey Forde! Hum
phrey the grave, the quiet, whom she
had Imagined to be afraid of her! Why
was ne here? And why, why had she
not known before what those kisses all
at once had made clear to her-that
this was the man she loved after all,
and had loved all along?
Then suddenly it flashed across her
what had happened. In her haste she
had doubtless enclosed the notes in the
wrong envelopes, and he had received
the one meant for Will Haywood! But
he must know the truth! To the girls
delicate sense of honor no other course
was possible; even if it meant the loss
of his love she would not keep it by
acting lie.
"Oh, you mustn't, you mustn't! I've
made dreadful mistake!" she gasped
almost incoherently, finding voice at
last, and striving frantically to olsen
gage herself.
Humphreys arms suddenly loosened,
and he held her away from his to look
into her face.
"a mistaken" he repeated slowly,
incredulously. "Was that what you
ott To
then, that you do not love me, after
all?"
The color flushed over the fair little
face from brow to chin, and she hung
her head in silence. No, she could not
say that!
Speak, Lettice!" he said, his voice
grave and almost stern. 81 insist on
your telling me this. You know, when
you wrote it, what your letter must i'm
ply. Do you mean you were mistaken
in thinking that you loved me?''
mo, no, not that" she whispered,
as if the truth were being forced from
her.
Humphrey could feel how the slight
form trembled. He placed her gently
in a low chair and drew another beside
her.
Come, let me understand" he said,
more kindly. "You say you love me
is it so? Very good; very good. Now
tell me; I mean to know, and at once"
81 wrote-I wrote two letters" Let
tice stammered, in desperation, and
hid her face in her hands.
Only four words, but they flashed the
truth upon Humphrey Forde.
81 understand-at last!" he said,
and, though he spoke quietly, the girl
shrank as if she had received blow.
"You wrote two letters-at the same
time, l suppose-and, somehow, by
mistake, you sent to me the message
intended for another man-for Hey
wood? Is that your meaning?"
'It must have been so. Oh, can you
ever forgive me?" she cried, miserably.
Humphrey rose from his seat with
out a word, and paced up and down the
room, his brows knit, his face dark
and stern. The silence grew unbearable
to Lettuce If he would only speak,
even to cover her with reproaches!
Anything would be better than this.
He turned at last, and came and
stood before her.
"You told me just now that you loved
me, and yet you meant to marry Hey
wood" he said, as if a thought had
Just struck him. "Do you love him,
too?"
CT like him Lettuce answered,
with an effort, more, even, or so
thought this morning, than liked you.
But know now that | could never
have loved him, and l thank God that
at least my mistake has saved me from
doing him a cruel wrong.
Suddenly Humphrey took the girls
two hands in his own, with grasp
that was almost rough.
'Lettice, when did you find this
out?" he asked, in tone that left her
no choice but to answer.
81 found it out-when you kissed
me-" she whispered, so low that he
had to stoop his head to catch the
xuordc