Year: 1876

SaoShto Odb tiiC uIC


She was frightened, weak and dizzy


with remembering what she had es-
capped, and for moment she stood en-.
circled by his arms, her head on his


shoulder, her soft hair resting against


his cheek. He pressed his lips passion.
ately to hers-he would have told her


then how dear she was to him, but
something seemed to hold him back


He would wait until the excitement OF


her recent peril should be over.


All that night he sat up thinking OF


his course. He loved her with all his


soul; he should never care for another


woman. But he was not quite sure OF


her heart. What if she still had lin
gering tenderness for Richardson? He
feared she might have. He had seen


her kiss a picture which he felt mortally
sure was his. Would he like his wife
TO kiss Leigh Richardson's picture. Ii
might be that the old dream could be
forgotten i'm the new. At any rate, he


would know before he slept, he said,
with a sudden resolution, and after
breakfast he went down town for a


walk. He knew few of the fellows
belonging to the Franklin Club, and
for the want of something better to do,
he sauntered into their room.


There were only two or three pres
ent, smoking their cigars, and idling
over the morning papers. Their busi-
ness hours had not commenced yet. As
he entered he caught the name of An
ME Huntley. Fred Orme, a reckless
young daredevil, was telling story.
Etheredge redeemed at hearing her
name from Orme's lips, and was about
striding forward, to call him to account
for it, when Orme's next words ar
rested him and forced him to listen.


"You see, Leigh Richardson was dead
in love with her. Never saw a fellow
take it any harder. Well, she is a
charming girl. never saw a better
fitting glove and boot than she gets on.
Richardson is smart, but L never liked
him since he won that silver cup at the
boat race. | meant to have had that
myself. Too confounded bad | didn't
get it,"


$50 it was" drawled Ed. Harrison;
show you sweat, didn't you, Fred?"


.It was hotter than the tropics, and
Leigh is one of the cool-blooded ones.
| said then | meant to be even with him,
and have kept my word. Don't mind
telling you the story, fellows, since it
is such an old affair. Pass that lemon
ade, ,Etheredge-you will be interested in
it, because I've heard it said that you're
rather sweet in that quarter. Matters
were going on swimmingly, two years
ago, between Leigh and Annie. They'd
have been married before now if no.
body had interfered. But Dennis and |
got up little plan between us and 1t
worked splendidly. l gained possession
of some of Leigh's handwriting and
practiced writing like it. | am an ex-
pert at that business; and in few days
| could fairly beat Richardson with his
own weapons. So wrote a letter to an
imaginary chum of his, giving a de-
scription of Miss Annie, calling her a
soft little thing, telling him how she
adored the subscriber, and how the
subscriber cared nothing al all for her,
but was enjoying a glorious Irritation.
OF course the subscriber was Leigh
Richardson.


"This note, which was most insult
ing thing TO any woman, we contrived
to have dropped where Miss Annie
would find it, and the result was even
more jolly than had anticipated. She
mittened Richardson the next day, and
refused to listen to any explanation he
could make. l always intended to pay
him off some way. Ny sister boarded
him at that time, and there was no sleep
in the house for his tramping up and
down his chamber all night. A little
more lemonade, and don't care if there
is drop of champagne in it,


Etheredge waited to hear no more.
In his present frame of mind he felt as
if he could not bear it. He went home
and shut himself up in his chamber.
After all, Richardson had been true.
How bitterly he had been wronged!
Annie could repent and love him more
than ever IL she knew the injustice she
had done him. That was a womans ma
ture. She atones for wrong by giving
love. Etheredge felt faint and sick.
The future shut down dark and blank.
And only an hour before he had dared
indulge such glowing dreams.


He saw his duty clearly enough, but
it is not always easy to do ones duty.
There was little struggle between his
heart and his conscience. A hundred
times the temptation beset him TO keep
his knowledge all to himself and win
Annie for his own. She would never
know that Richardson was blameless,
and his great love would make her so
happy! At last he knelt down and
prayed over it. He always prayed over
those things which were too hard for
hiR. After that he rose and sat down
by the window. For him there was no
more hesitation. If he could make An
ME happy, what mattered it to him how
it was accomplished!


He went down to the sitting-roOm
alb 1ut sunset. He knew he should find
Annie there.


Annie was sewing by shaded lamp.
She did not like the glare of the gas.
There was rich color on her cheek,
over which the loose hair dropped low.
Milton Etheredge's heart leaped at the
sight of her, but he stilled it down and
took a seat beside her.


"Annie," he said, 81 am an old friend,
and think you will not be offended if
ask you few questions. Not because
| am curious, but because desire your
good more than any earthly thing"


She looked up in wonderment, notic-
ing the strange unsteaiiiness OF his