Year: 1874

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"Because-this letter is from the
man l am to marryr'


He answered not a word, but his
eyes were on her face in strange,
half-doubting gaze. Could these
words of hers be true? Could it be
that the woman he had thought to be
so true and womanly, and who had
let him go on learning to love her,
knowing all the while to what he
was drifting, was the promised wife
of another? How he had been de-
ceived in his estimate of herI
think the shock which John Rains
ford's faith in woman's truth received
was, at that moment, full as strong as
that which her answer gave the love
he held Tor her. To him. she was the
ideal woman; the type of woman
kind; and proving her untrue, he
doubted all, because he had been so
cruelty deceived in her.


She saw the lines of pain about his
mouth.


Il am sorry" she began.
But he stopped her.


''Don'tr' he said. 'Leave the mat
ter as it is. 1t is better so. No
words of yours are needed to soften
the blow. / shall get over it in time,
think, without them"


''If l had known" she said; but
a0ain he interruDted her.


81 am going now. l hope you will
be happy and never regret what you
have done, but some day think you
will see what a pitiful amusement it
is to win mans love, just for the
sake of winning it. Good-hy."


And John Rainsford was gone.


Eight years passed, bringing
strange changes with them.


Kate Warfield, in the years gone by
since that summer afternoon when
she made her choice between the
men who loved her, had become a
wife and a widow.


In all these years she had not sue
ceeded in forgetting John Rainsford
she had tried to do so. Her hus-
band had been kind to her. He had
lavished his wealth upon her. But
she could not love him. She had
been a true and faithful wife to him,
that is, if woman can be such with
out love, but all the while a memory
lurked in her heart of a summertime
that had been strangely sweet and
pleasant because of the love that had
come to her in it.


The years had also brought
changes to John RainsfOrd. He had
become a successful man. People
begun to point him out rs one of the
most promising men in the political
world


One night there was a party at one
of the Senator's houses in Washing
ton. The beauty and talent of the
season was there. The scene was
like one from enchantment. Light
shown on gay, bright faces full of the
glad excitement of youth and life,
and on older and soberer faces, for
whom the novelty and freshness of
such gatherings had worn off. jew
els flashed and sparkled and lent an
added brllliancy to the scene. The
air was full of strange and sweet per-
fumes. The soft and mellow music
from the unseen band made the air
vibrant with exquisite melody.


Kate Leith, in a dress of some rich
fabric, that set off the beauty of her
face TO perfection, looked out upon
the scene with hope stirring in her
heart that was very sweet and tender.
The man who had loved her in the
years gone by was there. She was
free now and she knew that she loved
him. If, in all these years he had
not forgotten her!


And then the woman's heart stir
red with feeling that was inexpres-
sibly tender. Her life had lacked
something that gold could not pur-
chase. 1t was love that she had
needed to make her life what the life
of every woman ought to be.


A swift color flashed in her cheeks.
He was coming toward her, with a
sweet faced woman leaning on his
arm.


He saw her, and came forward with
outstretched hand.


81 am happy to meet you once
more" he said. Her eyes dropped un-
der his gaze, and soft and happy
light came and went into them. She
gave him her hand with an eagerness
that told how glad she was to see him.


"Allow me to present my wife.
Lois, this is an old friend of mine,
Mrs. Leith."


Every trace of color faded from the
woman's face. But she gave his wife
her hand in smiling welcome, and
murmured a few words of congratu
lation, while her heart was covering
up a sweet hope that had met swift
and sudden death. So true it is that
smiles can hide an aching heart! =
WeSte1n Rural


Tur oditor Of tho N V E,pY;a0