The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-25
THE IRONY OF FATE.
BY BEEN E. RExFORD.

 keeper. He seemed very much disap- pointed because he did not find you at home. think he had to go away some- where, and hadn't much time to spare. told him I didn't know when you would be back. He came again two or three days ago, and when he found you. weren't here, he went into the library and wrote two letters-one to you and one to Miss Jean. You'll find them on the table there. He didn't tell me where he was going, but I got the inn pression that it was a long way off, and that the reason why he wanted to see you so much was because 1t was quite uncertain as to when he would have another chance to do so l never saw a man more disappointed than he seem- ed to be-"
 Margaret went to the library. The letters were lying there on the table. One with her name on the envelope. The other addressed to her sister Jean.
 She opened her letter with a soft. warm color making her face inexpres- sibly tender in It's womanliness. Her eyes were full of a glad, eager expect ancy. And yet she half hesitated be- fore reading what the man she loved had written IS if to prolong the pleas ure of a suspense that had no doubt in it. She knew what was in the letter, she 1elt very sure
 But presently she reused herself from the delightful anticipation of the pleasure in store for her, and read her letter. As she did so, the light faded | out of her face. and gave place to | look of surprise and of incredulity that grew into horror. Her eyes had in | them the glare of the wild animal that finds itself face to face with sudden death and seeks for some way of es- cape. Her hand shook like the leaves of the poplar outside the window. | This Is what she read:
 My dear Miss Grant: I am obliged 1 to leave for the west on very import ant business. I would have been glad to delay my going until your return, | but that cannot be. l have already waited longer than I ought to have done. hoping you might come back and 1 give me chance to say good-by in person.
 | T have just written a letter to your sister. and in it I have asked her to be my wife. I feel sure what ner an swer will be. have told her that it may be necessary for me to give her a home in the west for some years, but If she loves me as l think she does do not believe she will object to this I shall expect to hear from her shortly and if she bids me do so. I shall return at the earliest possible date to make
 her my wife and take her away from
 you. But I feel sure you will be will ling to give her into my keeping. will do all in my power, God helping
 me. to make her life a happy one Per haps telling you about my love foI your sister before she has given me the right to do so isn't exactly the proper thing to do. but I feel so sure of it, you see, and feel so sure of your friendship, that someway I can't resist the desire to take you into my conf dence I wish I could see you long I enough to say good-by, but that can't be, so I write 1t down here-Good- bS my sister that is to be. and give yol as great happiness some day, tha which I believe Is in store for us. Witt brotherly regards.
 Hugh Farrlngford." Margaret Grants breath came qucl and hard as she read the letter to 1t! end. Her face was as pale as 1t vii be when she Is dead
 My God! And I thought he loved me-" she cried She dropped into . chair and sat there for many moments staring into vacancy. A kind of numb
 ness seemed to take possession of her
 She felt as if the world were slipping
 away from under her feet, and the enc
 of all things had come with the enC
 of her beautiful dream.
 Suddenly she reused herself. There
 must be some mistake. She had no read the letter aright She reread i
 slowly. with her mind concentrated in
 tensely on every sentence. that 1t!
 meaning might not escape her. A gray
 pallor grew in her face as the trutl forced itself home. She had read 1t cor
 rectly. The man she loved did not love
 her as she had believed, She had be
 lieved in his love because she wanted
 1t. and the intensity of her regard fol
 him had made her blind to the facts ir
 the case. It was an instance of self
 deception.
 It seemed as if she had grown old
 very old In few moments of time. Al
 the sparkle and gladness had suddenly
 died out of life. There was nothing left to live for, now that love was dead Nothing to do but dig a grave for 1t and bury it so deep that no one would ever know what was hidden there.
 Then a swift rage took possession oi
 her. If Farringford loved Jean, and
 her sister had guessed IS much, as she
 must have done. then she had deceived her. Never. by word or look had she
 intimated such d thing. Jean mus
 have seen that fl riendship was growing
 into love oH Margaret's part, and she
 had said nothing when by a word, sht
 could have prevented so terrible a mis
 take. It was cruel-heartless! A pas sionate desire for revenge surgeC
 through heart and brain. And witt that desire came. like a lightning flash the suggestion that she acted upon
 Farringford in the letter bearing he sisters name, had made formal decla
 ration of his love. He would eXpec
 her answer to follow him speedily t
 his new home. If favorable, he woul
 come back to claim her. If no answe
 came, he would think she did not hay
 a favorable reply to give and, belieV
 ing that all would be at an end be
 tween them.
 "She shall never get the letter" Maj
 garet said, with fierce determination
 She had no pity for me when she sa' I was learning to love her lover. and = have none for her now. I wish l kne f what he said to her" For momon' s her fingers trified with the envelop
 But a swift shame came to her at u d thought of opening 1t. No-she cou $ not do that; but she could. and woul II prevent the letter from falling into h. is sisters hands. She took 1t into the Ina e and dropped it into the old clock tn r. had stood there silent, for more yea 2 than she could remember. As she d in so. she was conscious of a feeling tn
 the clock was dead and needed burif
 like the love that had made her II Q so bright, so full of beauty and hope
 brief half hour ago. Half an hou A. Why-it seemed an age. As she pass es the mirror she looked into 1t, half e