Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-10

f~ lon VANREVEL always went
to the pOstoffice soon after the
@ morning distribution of the
NE2sgJ mail; that is to say, about 10
o'clock, and returned with the letters
for the firm of Gray L. Vanrevel. both
personal and official. Crailey and he
shared everything, even box ut the
postoffice, and in front Of this box one
morning, after night Of rain, Tom
stood staring at white envelope bear
ing q small black seal. The address
was In II writing he had never seen be-
fore, but the Instant 1t fell under his
eye he was struck with distinctly
pleasurable excitement.
Suddenly and without reason he
knew that 1t came from Elizabeth ca
rewe.
He walked back quickly to his office
with the letter In the left pocket Of his
coat, threw the bundle Of general cor
respondence upon his desk, went up to
the floor above and paused ut his own
door to listen. Deep breathing from
across the hall indicated that Mr..
Gray's soul was still incased In slum-
ber.
Vanrevel went to his own room, lock-
ed the door and took the letter from
his pocket. At last, after examining all
the blades of his pocketknife, he select
ed one brighter than the others and
loosened the flap Of the envelope us
gently and carefully rs IL 1t had been
the petal Of rosebud that be was
opening.
Dear Mr.. vanrevel-I believed you last
night, though / did not understand. Eut
I understand now-evcrything-and bitter
to me as the truth Is. l must show you
plainly that / know oil Of 1t, nor can
rest until l 10 show you. l want you TO
answer this lctter-though must not see
you again for u long time-and In your
answer you must set me right IL am
anywhere mistaken In what have learn
ed.
At first, and until after the second time
we met, / did not believe in your heart.
though / did In your mind and humor.
Even since then there have come strange,
small, ineXplicable mistrustings OF you,
but now I throw them all away and trust
YOU wholly, Monsieur Citizen Georges
Meilhac!-I shall always think Of you In
those impossible garnishments OF my poor
great-uncle. and I persuade myself that
he must have been a little like you.
I trust you because l have heard the
story OF your profound goodness. The
first reason for my fathers dislike was
your belief in freedom as the right OF all
men, All, 1t is not your pretty exaggera.
tions and batteries Il laugh at themD that
speak for you. but your career itself and
the brave things you have done! My ia
theirs dislike fiared into hatred because
you worsted him when he discovered that
he could not successfully defend the
wrong against you and fell back upon
sheer insult.
He IL q man whom / do not know
strange as that seems as write II. II
10 only to you, who have taught me 80
much, that could write It, have tried
to know him and to realize that am his
daughter. but we are the coldest acquaint-
ances, that II all. and cannot see how Q
change could come. do not understand
him: least Of all do understand why ne
II a gambler. It has been explained to me
that It is his great passion. but all COM
prehend In these words IL that they are
full Of shame for his daughter.
This 10 what was told me: He has al
ways played heavily and skillfully. adding