Year: 1879

Collins left over ten thousand dollars to
each of his daughters. Why didn't you
! tell me of this beforep


"Why didn't you tell us that you had no
money % returned Mrs. Collins.


"Simply because l never professed to
have any,"


q" Then what was meant by that account
in the paper p


"OhoP exclaimed the husband "You
got hold of that, did your And that ac-
counts for the peculiar warmth of my re-
ceptlon That, it seems, worked the change
that gave me the love / sought. ] under
stand 1t now. But, upon my word, there
was no deception on my part there. When
got ready TO start for home, my cousin
received a summons to attend to some bust
ness which he feared would detain him till
the sailing of the next steamer and as his
gold was already on board, and he did not
wish to remove it, he placed it under my
care, and it was so consigned to the list
But, at the last moment, he finished his
business, and was enabled to come with me"


" And Frank is the wealthy onew gasped
Lydia.


"Yes. He delved and dug, while
speculated; and he made fortune while l
didn't"


ooh how have been deceivedp cried
the disappointed wife.


"Grossly deceived" added the mother.


Sidney started from his seat, and having
walked up and down the floor few times,
he stopped and faced the two women. He
was very calm, and the bitter expression
which had dwelt upon his face gave place
TO mocking smile.


Z" guess we had better not deal too much
in accusations" he said, "for l don't think
either of us can claim much charity on that
score. We have both of us-perhaps all
three of displayed pretty kind of game,
but it seems we all held losing hands. You
were not averse to little bit of deception
for the sake of securing rich husband and
perhaps am not free from the same weak
ness However, we've made slight mis-
take, but the things done, and it can't be
helped; so we must make the best of it.
We had better keep it TO ourselves than
have it get out. Folks would enjoy it huge
ly if they knew what a mistake you had
made in your game at fortune hunting All
there is about it, we must turn to now, and
work. 1 am caught, and 1 will make the
best of it; but just let me assure you that l
will not submit TO any further fault-fnding
or recrimination."





When Nellie found herself within COM
Portable, well-furnished house, and knew
that it was her own, and that her husband
was wealthy, she sank upon his bosom and
wept in her joyful gratitude. She tried to
chide him for having deceived her, but
very soon he convinced her that he had not
deceived her at all.


"This blissful hour" he cried, "has been
my goal for years. Through all the weary
seasons of toll have been sustained by the
hope that in the end this fair hand should
be mine; and not a Joy has my wealth
promised me that did not look to you as a
sharer in it."


Nellie believed him, and she was happy


happy as she deserved to be---happy as
only such pure hearts can be.


Frank went into business, and he hired
his cousin Sidney for a bookkeeper, and
paid him good salary. Lydia had come
to her senses, and when her mother went to
live with Nellie she resolved that she would
make the best of the estate which had fallen
to her lot, though she will never cease to
regret, during the moments when the old
thoughts of fashionable life come over her,
the slight mistake she made in playing her
Game of Life.