The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-16

" ing how to proceed with his story; then he told her of his walk across the moors, and of that wondrous ex- perience which was too deep for words, of how God hadScome to him and had given him a new heart.
 Ever since last night have known that love you." he said; Gay, knew that loved you with a love too deep for words, but would not confess it to myself until today: But I knew. too, that it was too late, because if I were unworthy of you years ago, am a thousand times less worthy now. Then God told me to tell you what have told you.'
 Leicester rose to his feet.
 Now I have told you-what I came to tell you" he said. 'It was right that you should know. and l have told you. That is all, think; so I will go. do not ask you to forgive mel do not, cannot expect that. Goodnight"
 He hesitated a second as though he expected her to speak, but not a word escaped her lips. He thought the As he moved towards the door he took a last look at her, but she made no sign, nor spoke a word.
 Goodnight. goodbye" he said, and was gone.
 She heard him go into the hall, and open the front door; afterwards the sound of his footsteps on the drive reached her; but she did not move. The mans revelations had stunned her; she felt incapable of acting or thinking. All she knew was that feeling of utter desolation possessed her.
 She was glad her father was out of the house, for she had a great dread of meeting any one just then. understand the meaning of what she had heard. For more than an hour she sat in uttef silence. Little by little the reality of Leicester's story came to her. Leicester was not dead He had come back to wreak his revenge on her.
 At first she was angry. That he whom she had driven away should come back as stranger in order to drag her into disgrace, hurt hel pride.
 But the anger did not long remain She reflected that he had renouhced his plan of revenge. Nay, more, he | had come to her almost humbly and told her that he had learnt to be ashamed of his unworthy designs. Without knowing it she began tc
 analyse her feelings. What was to 1 become of her? Ricordo was gone there never had been a Ricordo
 except in name. And yet she had | loved him. The night before, when
 she had promised to be his wife, and felt his lips upon hers, she knew tha1 her life had gone out to him. Ever although she could not understand it | she knew it was so. In spite of the
 fear which had possessed her. hel
 heart had responded to his pleadings
 Even then the thought of 1t wa:
 strange If, years before. any one had told her that she would have | given her heart to man with Ri
 cordo's professed antecedents. she
 would have laughed at such sug gestion as impossible. And yet, il
 spite of herself, she had loved him she did love him. And yet there wa:
 no Ricordo, there never had been. Then, like a flash, the whole trutf
 came to her. It was Leicester sh' | had loved alF the time. She real | ized now why, even at their frs meeting, he had such an influence over her. It was not a strange'
 with an Italian name, it was Lei cester, the man who had won he years before, and whom she had sen away in anger, but whom she hat | never been able to forget. He heart had thrilled it's recognition o
 the man, even although she though
 him to be stranger. 1t was Lei cester all the time. Everything wa
 plain to her now; there never hal been any Signor Ricordo, at most h was only a name. a fancy. That wa
 why, the night before, it had seeme' to her that it was Leicester who ha
 kissed her. It was not new lov , at all It was but the resurrection of an old live. the one love of he life.
 For a moment she forgot every
 thing in this one great thought. Lei cester was still alive. that she sti loved him, and that she had neve loved any one else. She had onl , cared about the stranger because he , heart knew it was he.
 CTo be continued.)