New-York tribune., 1909-09-12

iii, man was in waiting. In his hand he
held an envelop, unScalei Mr.. Kent $
asleep, but here his handwrite % his sister, -
he SAID. " lie wants YOU 70 read II out before
YOU hike.
Van received the envelop glanced at the
man inquiringIv. and removed d single sheet Of
paper. Ii was not q note from Glen, It ap-
peared to be the final page ot Beth S own letter
TO her brother.
Van knew the strong, large chirography
His eve ran swiftly over al the lines:
SO felt | ought 10 know more about things
and let YOU know of what Is going on There
Is more that / cannot tell / wrote YOU much
in my former Ietter-1nuch | mean, about the
man who Will carry this letter So unsuSpI-
CIouSlv. the man | shall vet repay If II lies
within my power For the things he has done
and for what he IS for what he represents. this
Is the man hate more than ANYTHING or anv-
one else IN the world, ou would understand
me If You knew 1t 4.i-alI! Let HIM carry some
word from You To
" our loving sister, BETH
Van had seen 1t all couprehended it all, be-
fore he realized that some error had been made
that tins piece ot Beth's letter had been placed
hy mistake IN the envelop for HIM To- take, in
stead Of the letter CIIen had written
He did not know and could not know that
BoetWlCk within. bv the sick mans side. had
Kept Glen stupid and daZed with drugs that
the one word hate had been " love on the
sheet he held in his hand till altered bv the
f.lT
dlherent from an utterly deSpIcdble treacherv
toward himself had been planned in Beth's
warm happy heart
/ he thing IN Its eno-mItv, struck him a blow
that made hlm reel for moment. till he could
grasp at his self control He made no sign as
he folded the sheet IN its creases.
IN afraid YOU made some mistake he
said This Is not the note from Mr. Kent
Perhaps You VIII bring me the other.
hat sand the man, unaware OF the fact
gT g. grVN-rr r| h.
scheme Tor putting the altered sheet into Van
Buren's hands, " What's that He glanced
At the sheet IN genuine surprise. keerect
he sand. =" Il 60 and git You the letter
WAN mounted his horse His face had taken
on a strange. chiseIed appearance as If it
had been cut IN stone. He had ridden here
through desert heat and flood for this. To fetch
Nuch letter as tins 10 a man he had never
seen nor cared 70 see and whose answer he
had promised to return
He made no effort to understand II. why SIN,
should send hln when the regular mail would
nave answered every purpose. The varuc.
dark hints contained in her lctter-hiuts at
th'IlSS SoinS on. things she could Not tcIl-held
Httle to arouse his interest 4 stabbed man
W"uld have taken more interest in the name of
the InaNcr OF the weapon stamped on the dag
ger blade than did Van IN the detail of affairs
between tHenville Kent and his sister Beth
hid done tins thIng-and he had foudlv be-
Na
mad meant IT. then, when She cried in her ms
SION that She hated HIM for what he had dt,n,.
Her anger that night upon the hill bv Mrs
Dicks had not been jealousy of Oueenv. but
rage against himself. She was doubtless In
love with BoStwick after all-aud wouId sb,r,,
this Joke with her lover
tie shrugged his shoulders. Luck had never
been his friend. BY what right had he ~
Gently begun 10 expect her smile' And wb,.
h1i ne continued for Years to believe in man
or IN Fate MI the quiet rov he had frlt for
DAYS concerning Beth and the Laughing V,ter
cL1lm departed as if through i sieve H.,
G3red tor nothing, the claim the world or ms
ME rs tor Beth, what was the uS,. of vi,bir,,
To understand 'e
he nurse came out at the door ag1in this
une with a note that Bostwi,k had written
WIth lew suggestions from Glen i'm nm nm
sealed cover aS before Il told vornr Krn-
YOU dIont take NO time % read The. Other . H..
saul holding up the cpjstIe Ii YOU want n,
Thank vou' Van interrupted taLin,. tb,.
ittter and thruSting it at once into ms n%,Lst
gthN Nr hent for his courtesies. IN my be-
nan Tie turned and rodc away
o De- continued urrt >aritr
TAUGHT HIM \ LESSON
1871