The Sentinel=record., 1912-01-14

swung widely toward the door and by miracle fo,ihd it. "G' night. Mish'r Duncan. feel S good bout thish I'm goin' try goia' home nd face m wife. c night"
 "Good night. Pete"
 "Well,' sad Kellogg after a pause "that was bit of luckp'
 Luck" Hat seized his hat and he. gan to turn off the lights. "Irs more luck than I thought there was In the whole world Come along"
 "Where are you going?''
 First to see Lockwood and have if out with him"
 No. you aren't" Kellogg laughed as Nat locked the door. You're going to leave Lockwood to me. I'll manage 10 ease his mind. You've got infinite ly more important matters to attend to, and the sooner you find her the better. Natr'
 As Duncan hurried homeward the rolling of the thunder grew sharp. more instant upon the flashes. When there was no wind the air seemed to quiyer with terror, as dog cringes to the whip.
 But of this Duncan was barely con sclous.
 He gained the gate in the fence of wood paling. opened it and entered The lawn and house were lit with the unearthly radiance of moonlight threat aned by eclipse He conld see .ha light in Graham's study and through the open doors the faint glow of the hall lamp. But there was no one visible.
 He hurried up the path. tortured by impatience. fear, longing, despair
 Then he saw what seemed at first pale shadow detach itself from darker shades in the shrubbery and move to ward him.
 Nat. is it youY'
 "Bettyv'
 His whole heart was in that cry. The girl thrilled to it's timbre as though master hand had struck . chord upon her heartstrings.
 Nat. what--what is itY'
 Betty, l want to tell you some thing"
 She came very slowly toward him, torn alternately by fear and hope. What did he mean?
 Do you happen to remember that told you awhile ago I was engaged to Josie LockwoodT
 Nat! Could forget? why?"
 Because it's broken off. Betty"
 Broken ofTI How? whyY'
 Because it had to be, sweetheart because I love you"
 She was very close to him then. Her uplifted face shone like marble in the fading light.
 Nat, I--I don't understand"
 "Then listen. l must tell you. It was all plan. a scheme my coming here. Betty. Everything did. said. thought. was part of a contemptibie trick. l meant to marry Josie Lock. wood, whom I'd never seen. for her money. Now you know what I was. lear. But It's different now. I'm not the same man who came 10 Radville ten months ago. I've learned little to understand the right, l hope. I've learned to love and reverence goodness and purity and unselfshness, and-and
 want to be a man. the kind of man you thought me. man worthy of you and your love. Betty, because l love you. want you to be my wife. And--oh. Betty. Betty-i need you to help mer'
 His voice broke. He waited, every nerve and fiber of him tense for her answer While he had been speaking The onrush of the storm had plotted out the moon. There was only dark ness there in the garden-deep, dense darkness-so thick he could not even see the shimmer of her dress.
 Then suddenly she was in bis arms, shaking and sobbing, straining him to her.
 "0h. Nat. my Natl I've loved you from the first day l ever saw youl You know I have"
 Betty sweetheart"
 There came an abrupt. furious batter of heavy drops of water beating upon the foliage. splashing and rebounding from the house.
 Forever and ever. NatY'
 Forever and ever and day. my dear-my dearv'
 little later m anxious voice-old Sam's-hailed them from the house.