The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-08-02

different from any other woman to
him. Perhaps she was, and perhaps 1t
was only something different in him
tina. found response in her.
When Mrs. Warren discovered that
her opposition would effect nothing,
she wisely determined to make the best
of 1t. After all, her brothers happi-
ness was the important thing, and she
had no fault to find with Miss Torsky,
so for her brothers sake she decided
to help matters along, and to let the
girl see that she favored the alliance.
One Monday morning Bayard APP
peared at the breakfast table, pale
and haggard. When he started to
leave, he told his sister he might not
be out again for some time. She ut
once OWNED what had happened, and
drew 1t from him. He hud been re-
fused by Sophie Torsky. In amaze
ment, Mrs. Warren asked him IL the
girl had given any reason.
"Reasonl" he cried. "Does n man
ask for a reason? Isn't it enough to
know, when he offers a woman his
whole life, that she does not want II,
that she Toes not love him?'
Mrs. Warren could give no answer
TO this. She pressed his hand. and
kissed him in tender sympathy, watch
ing his going with al aching heart.
One day a young man called to see
the governess. From his name and
appearance, Mrs. Warren at once
judged he was a musician. When he
had called three or four times at short
intervals, she felt sure she had found
the cause for her brothers dismissal.
The young Russian was evidently the
successful sutton. She wrote to her
brother, telling him of her discovery.
She now meant 20 cure him if she
could.
A tall, thick hedge separated the
vegetable garden from the ornamental
grounds about the place. And late in
the afternoon Mrs. Warren, who took
Il lively interest In the growing Of
her salads, overheard from the other
side of the hedge the excited voice Of
Miss Torsky.
at is u liel" she exclaimed. "a
cruel liel I do not believe he is mar
riedl'
Suppose I can prove 1t to you. What
then2' asked n man, whose voice she
recognized as the Russians.
81 do not carel / should have to
see with my w eyes, before / would
believed" she said with intense feeling.
"Oh, 1 know" he answered with a
sneering infection, you must have
trusted him entirely, but you must
see now"
IL see nothing" she broke in fiercely,
but my faith in him. l know he will
keep his promisel"
"And it is two years now" he went
on. you would like to go back to
your own people-but you can't. You
know that. With the shelter of my
name, you could GO"
She interrupted him with passionate
protest. mol no! never I" she cried.
snow go! / do not want TO see you
again! !"
you will think better Of that. IT Is
not good-by, Sophie" Then he went.
Mrs. Warren heard the crunching of
his feet going down the graveled path,
then the sobbing Of the girl. She felt
that in something which so closely
concerned her brothers happiness she
had a right TO listen. Very quietly she
drew away, and went to the house. II
seemed to her there was only one In
ference to be drawn. Miss Torsky vas
hiding some secret. She had had a
past" This was the reason she would
not marry John Bayard. Mrs. Warren
felt it her duty in pursuance of the
cure she was trying to effect, TO tell
her brother all she had overheard, with
her own differences added thereto.
But instead of working n cure, her
letter had the opposite effect, and
brought John Bayard speedily on the
scene. He told his sister that If the
woman he loved had been through
some great trial, and she had feared
to tell him, that now was the time
TO let her know how great was his
love for her. Sophie met him with n
kind of gentle dignity, but the second
day had passed without his having
managed an interview.
Bayard was sitting with his sister
In the living room, when Sophie en-
tered with a new light in her eyes.
"Oh!" she said, "you have both been
so good to me, / think you will be
glad to know what has happened.
About three years ago my father and 1
were suspected of being revolutlonists,
and escaped from Russia just in time
to save ourselves from being sent to
Siberia. My father died in less than
a year, and l dare not return to my
people. l was to have been married
in a short time to Boris Kanoff, and 1t
was understood that as soon as he
could he would CONF to this country,
and marry me, and stay here. / heard
from him for a year very regularly (;
then the letters stopped. They always
came in care of the Russian consul,
who knew my address. But he could