Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-01-20

Aunt Agatha suddenly disapprored
of Dick .Fabens' attention and ex-
pressed her opinion each morning.
Elizabeth came to take a wicked de-
light In listening to those lectures, and
frequent mention of the dark beauty in
Chicago and Ralph's weakness in that
direction hardened her heart against
the absent lover His daily letters
we're Enthusiastically short. and her
Jealous eyes read between the lines
that he was enjoying his stay in the
Windy City. Then on Thursday the
letters ceased coming. and Elizabeth
stopped writing.
On Saturday morning she took coun-
sci in her own room and decided that
Ralph Coverly was fired of her. If he
had not been. if he had really cared
for her, would he not have hesitated
at leaving a substitute for his own
escort? Was it not to justify his own
attentions to this other girl-whose
name Aunt Agatha had once admitted
to be Else-th he had provided a
substitute? Fabens spoke little of his
partner beyond saying that the coveted
contract had been secured by Ralph.
Saturday morning Elizabeth went
back to the boarding school. where
she was a teacher Of music. but be-
fore she went she inclosed her en-
gagrment ring in tiny box. register
ed it and sent it to Ralph's office, with
brief note explaining her action.
1T has all been q mistake" she said.
Aunt Agatha's farewell Of her was
prolonged and affectionate at the late
breakfast, several hours after the ring
and letter had been sent.
"Goodby. my dear Elizabeth. I've
learned to love you dearly, and I've
watched you closely during the past
week while Dick Fabens has been tax
ing you out. and you are most lin
usual girl. Ralph has won a treasure
indeed. We would have been so I'M
happy if he had cared for that Elsie
girl who set her cap for him last
year. It's good thing she eloped
with her chauffeur and went to Paris.
for And so on until Elizabeth's
brain reeled with the horror Of what
she had done.
Her farewell to Mrs. Coverly was
fearful and brief. but she did not dare
divulge the fact Of her broken en-
cagement to the woman who had TAX
Ell the motherless girl to her warm
heart.
At Ferncliff the weeks passed drear-
lily without word from Ralph. There
was a picture postcard from Aunt
Agatha, who had returned to her
home. saying she trusted the missive
found Elizabeth in good health. Then
Elizabeth mailed card to Miss Dale
and hoped that lady was quite well.
and so ended her connection with the
Coverly family.
There came q day several months
afterward when she received cards
for Dick Fabens' wedding to some
girl from New Orleans. She laid 1t
away with q little sigh. 1t was mere
ly an echo Of the happy life she had
dropped out Of. She blamed herself
bitterly for listening to Aunt Agatha's
name chatter and knew that she had
wronged Ralph. And yet there was
the fact that he had ceased writing
to her. That might be easily explain
cd. Letters often miscarried. There
was no excuse for her doubt OF her
lovers constancy. She ought to have
trusted him against everybody in the
world, even as he would have done
had the case been reversed.
That same day was a half holiday.
and Elizabeth, weary with the strain
Of teaching and very unhappy. stole
away to spend the afternoon alone IN
the beautiful chestnut woods that
stretched behind the school buildings.
The trees were In their summer glory
of gold and brown, and through the
scanty foliage there were glimpses OF
the clear blue sky. Where the trees
fringed the banks of the tumbl1ng
river Elizabeth found seat on
messy rock.
The rushing of the river drowned all
other sounds. and it was not until he
stood beside her that Elizabeth knew
Ralph Coverly had come at last. From
very Joy in his presence she was pow
erless to move.
He looked down at her. pale and
worn and quite unlike his usual buoy
ant self.
Elizabeth" he said desperately.
1--WE Just had Fabens' invitation. II
1t isn't he. who is it?'
"Who is who?" asked Elizabeth
weakly. her voice breaking as he
caught her hand.
THE one who came between u.s."
said Ralph hoarsely. Aunt Agatha
hintcd-she wrote-it was Fabens. and
you were both so happy, so. l stopped
writing and came home to find the
ring and your letter. was beast to
Fabens-thought he had cut me out
with you-and then he. stiffened up.
and we've hardly been on speaking
terms outside of business. Then this
morning found his wedding invita-
ton in my mail. and so l came down
to find out who the other man Is. |
would have staked my life on your
faith, Elizabeth"'
"You may now. wait. Ralph. till
tell you ALL" sobbed Elizabeth. But
Ralph did not wait. His arms were
about her and her sunny head on his
shoulder while she poured out the mis-
understandable and misery Of those