Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-11


was known. He became favorite with the doctor
and nurses-especially of the latter. There was
nothing indicative of villany behind those laughing
hazel eyes of his
After leaving the hospuita he stayed on at Long
field One place. he told himself, as good as an
other. As a matter of fact he was attracted by
pair of blue eyes.
The way was made easy for his stopping The
house surgeon had taken fancy to him. There
was sympathy, too the theft of the man lug
gage 1t seemed a cruel thing that while lying on
the railway insensble his bag, containing all his
valuables and money should be stolen. Radford was
a of many nventionsl
Thse post of hospital k-and store-keeper fell
vacant The ex-patient pitchforked into the va
cant position The salary only two pounds
week. but Radford would have accepted half the
amount-for the sake of being near the owner of the
fathomess blue eyes. For him she was-now-the
one woman in the world.
Sister Wood reciprocated Redford s feeling; al
though that was fact she for a long while kept to
herself She listened breathessly to his romantic
accounts of bush fe the harbreadth escapes he had
experienced and deeds of vaor he had performed
The narrator adept at long bow pullingl
At last he declared, in words what his eyes had
been expressing for quite a while. Her heart would
not allow her to turn deaf to his pleadng she
promised to become Mrs. Richard Radford.
cottage on the outskirts of Longfeld village was
rented and, at last, the little place was nearly
finished. The day fixed for the wedding drew close.
The man-prompted by desire to save every pos
sibe penny-had given up his lodgings and was Sleep
ing in their cottage.
On business connected with the hospital he had
been sent to distant town. He started early as it
was absolutely necessary he should get back the
night-his wedding day was on the morrow!
1t was late evening when at last he entered the
cottage, whistling lghtheartedly. His first action
was to light candle and place it in the eastern win
dow. It could be seen from the hospital; was
signal that he had come homel
On the table lay letter When he had lighted
second candle he that it was in the handwriting
of the woman he loved. What could she have to say
to himq he asked himself. Opening the envelope he
started to read the contents.
AS he did the color gradually drained out of his
face, leaving his complexion ashen hue Reaching
the end of the letter the paper futtered from his
nerveless fingers to the floor.
That blow was a hard one. At intervals he moaned
much as a stricken animal might have DONE For
hours he was powerless to The candles burned
down in their sockets.
Then darkness ended; a rosy tint came through the
eastern window. The man shivered lifted his head
and endeavored to marshal his wits. The day-his
wedding day!-had dawned
-
TT HERE commencement, or signature end
i ing to the letter which SO disturbed Radford. 1t
read:
elbow could you-how could you'll You have
broken my heart. thought you everything that was
good and noble, and get haze seen your WVe! She
had doubt and to the hospital to interview
the nurse who had tended the companion of her sup
posed dead husband she described you that there
was mstaking you'll She told me everything: of
your cruel deserton all those years ago and what she
had suffered through it. You dead she could
not speak much evil of you. But understood, and
my heart went out to her in sympathy what she
so plainly left unsaid So great the feeling her
story excited, and such the comfort she derived
from believing you dead, that I-heaven forgive mel
Lied to her; removed the last lingering doubt which
troubled her. And you-how could you'll How could
Youl By the time you read this I shall be many