, 1906-03-07
Wednesday,, March 7. 1900
A Regretted Refusal


Arnold Withers, lieutenant in the
United States artillery, was a notice
able young man. lie was proud, sensi-
tive'and the soul of honor. His mother
died while he was II child, but he had
never entirely recovered from her loss.
His father he had seldom seen. Wheth-
er this was because his business neces-
STATED his absence Arnold did not
know. AT his mothers death the boy
had been placed under the care of his
fathers sister, where he had remained
till he had entered the army. His ia
Their, who was rich, supplied him liber-
ally with money.
AT twenty-five Lieutenant Withers,
while serving at Fortress Monroe, met
among the visitors at Old Point Com
fort Miss Luella ~Thorndyke. Withers,
who had given but little attention to
the opposite sex and had been rather
~displeased than otherwise at the an
Cling they had honored him with, gave
way to Miss T~horndyke. 1t is said that
opposites are usually most likely to at
tract, but In this case certain similar
psychological traits drew the two to-
gether. They were both conscientious,
both honorable. Miss T~horndyke was
not sure of her heart In the matter and,
fearing to wrong the man she both adj
mired and respected, refused him. She
had scarcely done so before she regret
ted her action. but If he loves me as
he thinks he does" she argued. "he will
come again." But Withers was not q
man to look back. He was a stolcal fell
low, and not even his most intimate
friends knew of his wound.
Ten years passed. Withers had be-
come a captain and was one of the
most promising officers in the army.
He had been sent abroad to study and
report on certain ordnance problems and
was considered an authority in his de-
partment. Nothing prevented his be-
ing n favorite socially except a dis
taste for society. Occasionally to
freshen a too serious disposition he
would attend a ball, but he seemed to
see under the polite attentions of the
jewellers their real s~elfishness. 80
ciety," he said, sis a masquerade, the
gay costumes and engaging
being masks to conceal the hollowness
underneath" After an hours at
tendance he would withdraw and was
not likely to feel the need of another
social refreshment for months.
When Withers was approaching his
thirty-sixth birthday two important
events happened. He was promoted
to be major and his father died. Dur
ing his fathers last illness the son
till he died. After the funeral he re-
turned to his post, but 1t was plain to
NIL his friends that he was a changed
man. He had inherited nearly n mil
lion dollars, but it was supposed that
this would not deter one so prominent
in his profession from remaining in the
army. Withers had no sooner return
ed than he sent his resignation to
Washington, and soon after his brother
officers We're electrified by the news
that he was q citizen. Then 1t was
surmised hat he would take the presi-
dency of some large corporation. What
he would do no one knew, for he told
no II of his plans. His father had
left him Il handsome residence on the
outskirts of a large city. There With
ers went, settled himself, and the world
without It's walls knew him no more.
When Arnold Withers shut himself
up In his castle Luella Thorndyke was
In Europe. The first news she receiv-
ed was that her former lover had in
herited a fortune. She rather hoped
that, since she was wealthy, Withers
might have kept away from her, feel
ing that he could not match her for
tune, and nov this objection being re-
moved he might again ask for her
hand. But when she returned and
heard the rest of the story she was puz-
zled. There Is something In the mind
of a woman for divining the troubles
of those they love-a sort of wireless
telegraphy.
Luella was sure that Withers had re-
ceived some great blow. Now vas the
time for her to comfort him. But how?
Between them flowed n stream that she
was not permitted to cross. He could