Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1907-02-14
NEARLY a HEART
BREAK
BY WALLACE MASON


stringed instruments and minstrel
songs. It was the last day of the
regatta.
"Well, everything must have its APP
pointed end, even the regatta" said
Arneston a little sententiously.
The girl who was seated by his side
on the deck of the houseboat Glow
worm looked up at him with strange
light in her deep brown eyes.
shall you be sorry?" she asked in
sweet, rich voice.
Eyes, shall be sorry" he answered,
simply. 81 thought I'd grown alto
gether tired of the river. It's about
the tenth year running I've been
here. But my interest in It has re-
vived. shall remember this regatta
as long as I live"
why" she asked, and she looked
at him musingly.
I'm 40 now, Miss Basset. I've al
ways had everything I've wanted as
long as / can remember. | have tried
most things, and had become a little
weary of them all. And then all at
out Of gloom into eternal sunshine.
These last three days are the most
perfect my life has ever known"
THAT sounds as if you were in
love" she said. smiling.
at is love-" he said; land 1t is you
/ love"
There was sudden silence between
4 h,,N he, .
titude became a little rigid, her smile
died.
81 cannot marry you" she said at
last.
81 care for you as have never
cared for any other woman"
MY refusal will pain you, then.
am glad, because it is my wish to
pain you"
Arneston gazed at her in blank
amazement.
Eight years ago / had a friend
whom | loved as / should have loved
my mother had she lived. She met a
man here who made her love him.
She loved him as only such woman
could love. She kept back no reserve
of love. That woman's, name Is Agnes
Reid"
The girl paused and looked at her
companion closely.
The man did not speak. She fan
cied he had started-that was all.
"It pleased this man to win her love
that he might cast it back at her.
He gave her up-jilted her. She came
home to us-my father and me-her
old friends. / knew nothing of this
man or his name until after she died,
aad then found some letters which
told me a.
"And who was hep.
She leaned forward, her eyes were
blazing in the darkness.
i"That man was yourself. Those let
tiers were signed by you. 1t was you
who killed this woman"
81 see."
The words were spoken DULY, with.
| out any feeling Whatever.
! When I FIT met you" she con.
tinued, II saw-7a woman can always
tell--that l attracted you. I resolved
to do all in my power to make you
care for me seriously. l wanted you
to say what you, have said, tonight
that you loved me, that 1 might tel
YOU this story, and give you that as
ny answer"
"a kind of revenge? Well at an!
.ate, Miss Basseh you have made MI
go through a severe quarter of al
hour. As for my defense-well, l will
not trouble with that"
He raised his hat and turned away
= Miss Basset watched him until tn
shadows swallowed his form up.
81 don't feel at all as l expected
she said to herself in dismay.
= thought l should glow with satisfa
r too. What a weak fool 1 am. If
hadn't told myself all day long an
half the night what cause had
=, hate him. l should-have loved him
Everybody noticed how Qu!et ar
I pale Miss Basset was at supper, al
l. many wondered wh9' n ! become
Ameston. When - ;Iched her oW
t little bedroom H. 20 Glow-worm 81
:. found a letter wA.ling her.
Two u three newspaper cuttin
4. fiuttered out of it. She read the bri
g., note:
= "You will see that the inclosed C,
~ tings eXonerate me from the brutal
you were good enough to place to I
credit. / should have undeceived y