Year: 1879

Conrad. Have not given you to un-
derstand that such q union is out Of
the question that II will bring de
struction on all you are bound to care
for in this world ?"


Kate grew pale, but she very quietly
replied:


my refusal to sell myself for gold
can only affect myself, mamma. Your
fate and that of Edna cannot, in any
way, be controlled by my discarded
lover"


Scan it not when he owns the very
roof that covers us-.he soil from which
our scanty living is drawn 1t is
true, Kate. He holds mortgage on
the place for money advanced tQ Luis,
and my dover right in this poverty
stricken home is all that stands between
us and starvation. This is what came
to tell you, and this is what you must
consider before you anger, by refusal,
the man who certainly has the first
claim on you. :"


Kate fell back as if she had been shot,
and the courage she had battled so hard
to sustain deserted her. Her breath
came in low, gasping sobs, and after a
long interval of silence, which her
mother thought would never end, she
family said:


"I understand that my fate is set
tied then. I shall be allowed no
choice. Oh know too well that !
shall be forced to submit my will to
yours, and struggle as | 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 sucA. a pass as this? Paupers +! de-
pendent on Richard Staunton for the
very bread we have eaten, he will de-
mand his payment Of me, and | dare
not refuse it! l know the kind of a
man he is-he would set Us adrift,
ppnniless, homeless, to beg, or starve,
should prove false to that silly pledge
given in childish thoughtlesssness, and
oh so bitterly repentsd Of since "


Her voice sunk into low, sobbing
murmers, and her mothers pity for her
was mingled with exultation that she
seemed 10 yield at once to the nscsssi.'
ties of her position, and accept the fate
lit was 80 much to the interest of the
whole family that she should not re-
fuse.


A week was passed away and nothing
was heard Of the expected lover from
California, although he had written
that he should not be many days be-
hind his letter, and at last rumors came
that he Albatross, on which he had
left San Francisco, had been wrecked,
and that many lives had been lost.


Kate had been struck down by brain
fever, and for days she lay vibrating
between life and death, raving in Wild
est delirium, and then moaning over
the cruel tate which gave her heart to
one lover aud forced her to yield her
| hand to another.


Mrs. Loser was fond and proud of
her lovely daughter, yet the deepest
dread in her heart at this dreary crisis
was, that in the death of Kate the
prospect of wealth must pass from
them all.


Edna watched unweariedly by the
sick couch Of her sister, and Mr.. Loser
devoted himself to her assistance. lie
was great help to her, for he had
studied medicine in his youth, and he
undertook the management of the case
himself, declaring that he could bring
Kate safely through all the phases OF
this torturing illness. He had given
her a potion which would not only
break the fever, but SO affect her brain
that for time she would have but
little recollection of recent events, and
80 would not be apt to say anything to
Staunton about her lover, Harry Con-
rad.


A few hours after Loser had admin
istered the dangerous potion to Kate,
Stanton suddenly arrived. He was
a man 6 feet iu height, magnificently
proportioned, and might indeed have
passed as a derni god among men Of
lesser nould, for his head was massive
and handsome as the marble last OF
Napoleon. His eyes were dark haze,
well set and expressive, but with a
CLEAN in them which showed that II
things went wreng with him a temper
might be aroused which it would be
difficult to quela.


Loser, who had warned his wife and
Edna with regard to what he had done,
was the first to meet Stanton, who
had heard of Kate's illness and eagerly
questioned her step-father as to her
condition.


Losers face fell slightly as he saw
BY Staunton's manner how difficult it
was going to be to deceive him with
regard to Kate's real feelings, but he
m ade the best he e0uld of the situation,
saying:


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


GOOD Heaven il she so far gone
q that I" cried Stanton, with paling
face. "What caused this illness p
What is the matter with her? was
not brought on her by dread Of my ar
rival, hope" :,
His eyes famed, his lips trembled
and his brow grew stormy as he utter
cd the last words.


Catching at the chance his jealous
fears suggested; Loser deliberately said:


"No-not by that, but by the shock
she received when she heard of the
danger you were in. She bore up a
few days, but when no further news
CO me from you, we-that is, the women