The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

IA when she married Silas Hopkins;
she was "a when he died, leaving her
sole heir to all his wealth. Strictly
speaking, it would be more correct to
say that he had married her; she had
small v~olition in the matter.
1t had never occurred to her to re-
gard Mr.. Hopkins as a possible sutton.
Almost as old as her father, his hair
nearly as gray, he had been the ia
miliar friend of the family ever since
she could remember. AS a child she
sat on his knee, and he brought her
toys and candy; as a young lady he
Kept her supplied with flowers and
matinee tickets.
The Fraziers were well off enough
to have all the necessaries and many
of the Injuries of life, but they could
aot afford superfiuities. Mr.. Frazier
was a director of the Bull Dog Security
bank, in which also his moderate for.
June was invested; having implicit
confidence in the bank, he had not hes.
ltated to trust all his eggs therein.
1t was the old story of a bank pres.
ident and treasurer specializing with
the money of the depositors, and when
the consequent crash came Mr.. Frazier
was overwhelmed, not only because
of his personal loss, but by a crushing
sense of responsibility for the losses
sustained by others. He argued that
as a director he should have detected
and prevented dishonesty before it en-
tailed ruin.
This was why the shock killed him;
not instantly, since he fingered for
days afterwards, but the news
brought on a paralytic stroke from
which he never entirely rallied.
Alice was away, visiting a wealthy
relative at a fashionable seaside re-
sort, when the calamity befell. 1t was
Mr.. Hopkins who Sent the dispatch an
nouncing her fathers illness; Mr.. Hop
kins who with his coupe met her at
the railway station when she hurried
home.
Alice found her father tormented by
anxiety, which amounted to anguish.
about his wife and daughter. His life
was insured for a trifing sum. so
small that it was impossible they
could live on it even after his death;
meanwhile he was helpless and bank
rupt.
Then it was that Mr.. Hopkins asked
Alice to be his wife, saying, simply
that he had loved he. for years. but
never thought to tell her so. Now he
ventured to beg that in her time OF
need she would give him the right to
provide for her and hers. And, with.
out waiting for Alice to answer, he as.
sured her father that to do so would
be the greatest happiness which he
could ask.
Oh, the look of ineffable relief which
came into the face of the dying man!
He did not ask if his daughter were
willing, but, bracing himself to a final
effort, took her hand and laid it in that
of his friend. "God bless you both"
ne murmured, and then, with a smile
on his lips, went out into the Great
Hereafter.
After this it was more than ever Mr..
Hopkins who did everything. Alice
felt herself bound hand and foot: al
though the bonds were of softest silk.
they were strong as steel.
How could she tell them about Dick?
Dick, who loved her, and whom she
loved dearly, but who had nothing but
his youth and strength, his manly
beauty and his pay as ensign in the
United States navy? Dick, for whom
she had promised to wait a lifetime. if
need be, and who had sailed away on
a three-years' cruise the day before
Mr.. Hopkins telegram came.
There was a naval station near the
watering place where Alice was visit
ing, and the officers of the m-an-o,war
in port were coming and going contin-
nally. As one of the prettiest girls at
the Cape, Alice had been one of the
bellies of the season. She and Richard
Harvie had fallen in love with each
other, after the inconsequent n
of young things who take no thought
of the future. They had settled it that
hey were to be married when Dick got
his step" meanwhile he was to per.
form prodigies of %valor, and it would
be happiness to be engaged.
There were moments when Alice felt
lmpelled to tell Mr.. Hopkins the story
and throw herself upon his m-agnanim-
ity, which she felt sure would not fail.
refrained for the sake of her
mother. Crushed and broken-hearted
Mrs. Frazier had but one joy left. the
which she look in her
daughters engagement to Mr.. Hon.
kins. When it came to the npint, Alice
felt that she must suffer anytbino
rather than deprive her OF that.
She wrote to Dick and waited fever
SHY for an answer, her letter being
scarcely more than an incoherent an,
peal for advice. Weeks passed, bring
ing no reply, and Alice bethought her
self bitterly that it had been general
y understood at the Cape that Miss
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