The Snowflake herald., 1921-01-14


Would she decide to become his wife
when she returned to Woodville?
A month since this miSSive would
have made Helen the happiest girl
in the world. Just now it rendered
her first undecided and waverlng and
then wretehed. A strange thing had
happened. She loved Lois as the
very apple of her eye She had guard
ed, cheered, treasured her since she
was child, ready to sacrifice every
thing for her sake. This devotion
had been a sacred solemn promise to
her mother when the latter died, and
Helen had not been neglectful or un-
faithful in a single respect.
And an hour after Lois had gone
Helen had found that her sister had
unwittingly left behind her private
diary in which for years she had
chronicled all the events of her life,
and there on recently written page
was record that fairly crushed Helen
for the time being 1t read:
ST dare not yet tell Helen as yet
of my happiness complete, but on
how she will love Hector as do when
indication of selecting me above all
others as the empress Of his heart
Lois was in love with Hector Du'
ane, never dreaming that his thoughts
were fixed upon another! What
should she do! The happiness of Lois
was everything to Helen. Perhaps
Hector had wavered to choice be-
tween the two sisters. An impulse
might have led to his fixing his Sc
lection upon Lois. 1t would break the
tender heart of Lois TO lose the first
object of her girlish affection. Helen
Mowbray decided to make the supreme
sacrifice of her life. She must do all
she could to secure the happiness OF
the sister she so cherished, be the
heart pain and disappointment what
it might to herself.
So the very next day through Elise
Duvan. her closest friend, letter went
to Woodville. the contents of Whlcn
as she realized and planned would soon
he spread broadcast and would reach
Hector. 1t indicated that Helen mao
received the attentions of a wealthy
voung man we'll known i'll the city
plainly hinted that an engagement was
pending and in brief, but courteous
note Helen declined the honor Hector
Duane had prOffered.
"I will do what seems to De ms
duty" she murmured, but oroKenly'
"I hone Lois will win him and insure
her happiness. She would not nave
written the way she has in her diary
If there was not some evidence OF MS
having shown her encouraging atten-
tions at some time or other.
Thus Helen planned and believed
She did not hear from Hector Duane
again. There were. however, letters
from Lois and one finally that read:
sT have been keeping a deep secret
from you, sister dear. | am engaged.
To whom? You shall know in my next
letter"
And two days later there arrived
another letter from Lois that falrly
stunned Helen, for it read: Il am en-
gaoed to Hector Wadhams. You never
knew him. but he is a young man you
will truly admire and esteem, q
stranger in Woodville, but he is OF an
excellent family and oh! he loves me
so dearly"
Helen was sick at heart at the COM
nlication. her sacrificial sisterly ac.
tion had brought about. She decldeo
to 90 back home, but hopeless OF ever
ro0oining the happiness she had lost
Fate favored her. however Sne
had left the train at a cOnnectlns
noint lust at dusk at little way sta-
t,on and on the next train to arrive
who should appear but Hector, the
..roa1, Hector! He was consciously
over-courteous towards her, but wnen
tbev learned that the train to WOOD
vile was two hours late and the coiO
urOad him to build fire In the lOnely
station heater. and he was so atten.
tive IN insuring her comfort, It seemed
oe ,f che must confess all to him.
II am going abroad" he mao tolo
her. and the statement was so tingeo
with an undercurrent or SADNESS tlid'
Helen broke down utterly.
Ohi confession was, indeed, goOo Ioi
tho soul. In his Frightening face Helen
read no reproach for the past onls
horo and ioy. He loved her the more
aoarlv for her sisterly love, anO tnere
- that cheerless, lonely way station
"a aA'''e oI 1--we was crowned witt
the sure promise of golden future
The Result.