Year: 1879




dread upon her mother, who she knew had come to
throw some additional load upon her young shoul.
ders. heavy was the one she already had to bear


The apartment of Kate simply but tastetully
furnished In 1t were found the few books she
dried plants. and many little knicI knacks smch as
young girls like to collect around them.


The walls were covered with pencil sketches made
by herself. fancifully framed with autumn leaves.
Among them was found the shadowy outline OF q
young mans head. lightly drawn that the fair ar.
tst seemed afraid to make 1t too distinct lest it
might be recognized. wreath OF wild flowers
hung over ana concealed the words family traced
beneath my ideal" J.ffl Df d, UF 5tl


The head was certainly q very noble and hand.
some one and Kate deserved credit IL she had drawn
it from her own conception of what is grand and
true in man.


Her mother glanced around as she came in. mn
willing to look straight at her daughter and see in
she had been pas ing through. Her eyes fell on th,
phantom head and she said- /.


"rhis Is something new; i have not It before
Have you taken to drawing ghosts. Kate. for this


"That is the ghost of my happiness. mamma.
said the girl wearily, land 1t will go to the
grave that is being dug for it, 9 4. ~As 80


"what stun! see now that it is q highly IDEAL
lied sketch OF Harry Conrads head, and you have
placed it there as shrine suppose before which
to offer your silly alteration. do DECLARE Kate that
you most absurd young woman"


Absurd as may be, mamma. until to-day you
seemed to sanction my attachment to Harry. 1t Ia
cruecruel TO expect me to tear my heart from him
at moments warning. know what you have
to say. but would rather not hear it. All the
persuasions selfinterest may prompt you to utter
will be powerless to change my feelings toward Mr..
You dreadful grill is that the way you brave me
to my very face? You cannot-you shall not--marry
Harry Conrad. Have lnot given you to understand
that such union is out of the question? that it will
br ng destruction all you bound to for in


Kate grew pale. but she quietly said-- s


'My refusal to sell myself for gold only affect
myself. mamma. Your fate and that Of Edna cam
not in any way. be controlled by my discarded
lover"


"Can it nots when he owns the very roof that
fba Al Prom bcl,o
drawn? 1t u true, Kate He holds mortgage on
the place for money advanced to Luis, aud my dover
right in this poverty home is all that stands
between us and starvation This is what came to
tell you. ard this is what must consider before
you anger. by re asal the man who certainly has


Kate iel back as if she had been shot, and the
courage she had batted so hard to sustain deserted
her. Her breath came in low, gasping sobs, and
after long interval of silence, which her mother
thought would never end. she family said - v ''R


II understand that my tate Is settled then. I
shall be allowed no choice. Oh! know too well
that I shall be forced to submit my will to yours.
and struggle may. the net will close around me
and compel me to give my hand to one man while
my whole heart is in the possession of another Oh,
mother! mother how could you have suffered things
to come to such pass this? Paupersl dependent
Richard Staunton for the very bread have
eaten, he will demand his payment of me. and dare
not refuse it! know the kind of man he is-he
would set adritt. penniless. homeless, to bog
starve should prove false to that silly pledge given
in childish tnoagAtsssness. and OIL SO bitterly re-
Her voice sank into low, sobbing murmurs, and
her mothers pity for her was mingled with exulta-
ton that she seemed to yield a. to the necessi-
ties of her position and accept the fate it was so
much to the interest of the whole family that she
should not refuse. .f


week passed away and nothing was heard Of the
expected lover from California. although he had
written that he should not be many days behind his
letter. and at last rumors that the Albatross,
which he had left San Francisco. had been
wrecked. and that many lives had been lost.
days she lay vibrating between life and death, ravng
in widest deirium. aud then moaning over the cruel
fate which gave her heart to lover and forced her
to yield her hand to another.


Mrs. Loser was fond ana proud Of her lovely
daughter yet the deepest dread in her heart at this
dreary crisis that in the death OF Kate the PROS
pect Of wealth must pass from them all.


Edna watched unweariedly by the sick couch Of
her sister, and Mr. Loser devoted himself to her
sistance. He was great help to her, for he had
studied medicine in his youth, and he undertook tho
management of the case himself declaring that he
could bring Kate safely through all the phases Of
this torturing illness. He had given her potion
which would not only break the fever, but affect
her brain that tor time she would have but little
recollection of recent events, and SO would not be
apt to say anything to Staunton about her lover.
few hours after Loser had administered the dam
gerous potion to Kate. Staunton suddenly arrived.
portioned and might indeed. have passed as a DENT.
god among men OF lesser mould. for his head was
massive and handsome >ss the marble bust Of Napoi
leon. His eyes were dark hazel, well set and ex-
pressive, but with CLEAN in them which showed
that if things went wrong with him temper might
be aroused which 1t would be difficult to quell.


Loser who had warned his wife and Edna with
regard to what he had done, was the hrst to meet
staunton, who had heard of Kate's illness, aud
eagerly questioned her stepfather a. to her condt-
ton.


manner how difficult 1t was going to be to deceive
him with regard Kate's real feelings, but he
made the best he could OF the situation. saying:-


SWELL to tell you the truth. dear girl has been
very ills still suffering much. but the fever IL
broken and think-I am almost sure that with
care, she will soon be restored to u.s.


''Good Heaveni Is she 30 far gone ~ thatY cried
Staunton with paling face. 'What caused this ill
ness? What is the matter with her? 1t was not
brought on her by dread OF my arrival HOPPER


His eyes hameu. his lips trembled ana his brow
grew stormy as he uttered the last words.


Catching at the chance his jealous fears suggested
Loser deliberately sad:-


"No--not by that. but by the shock she received
when she heard OIL the danger you were in She bore
up few days, but when no further news came from
you we-that is. the women-gavelyou up as lost;
but have believed through all that you would come
back to safe aad sound. nr


Quite overcome by this false statement the strong
man sat down the first chair he came to- and COW
ering his face with his hands. wept few delicious
tears the supposed despair or Kate over his own
loss.


memory would be 30 desdcncd by tn potion he had
administered to her to enable her to play part
he had assigned her In the tragl-comedy about TO
be enacted. "-l
suddenly staunton lifted his head and asked:-


when can see my dear girl? l must judge Of
her condition my SELF and she had best be prepared
receive Her mother can do that"


Loser nearly ut his wits ends. at o loss to
know how he should deal with this impetuous man..





Intrusion into the sick girls apartment might pro-
duce results fatal to his happiness ~ to Kxtea
life.


After pause he replied:-


''You do not understand how low Kate is; she ID
sleeping calmly now under the influence OF mar
cotc, and hope for the best results from the 1rst
quiet sleep she has enjoyed since the commencement
of her illness. My wife is utterly broken down by
what she has gone through. and have had to
my skill in her behalf, too; her nervous system
FRUSTRATED, and she IL lying down now. trying to
sleep and Edna IL watching by kstes bedside. You
must be patient while Dick"
Patience never was my forte, you know of old.
Luis" replied Staunton. obstnatcly "and what you
tell me OF my poor darling only increases my un-
easiness and my desire to look her sweet face
again. IL she is unable to spring to my arms
and tell me how true she has been to through all
that long and weary absence feel IS IL every mo-
mcnt away from her now is wrong to both OF W.
Please send Edna to me-"


"Of course I'll go; but wouldn't IL be better for
you 10 tell something about yourself before
seek Edna? The child will ask thousand questions.
and, perhaps. be unwilling to leave her sister for