Year: 1873

Chapter XIV.


The time came for the old folks to re-
turn home. After asseverating many
times that they had had "a powerful fine
visit and declaring their intention of
repeating it the next winter, they took
their departure much to Kate's sorrow
and Conway's relief.


The words of Victor Hays as repeated
by aunt Betty, seemed to be continually
ringing in Conway's ears: "She labored
under a cruel mistake, and married some
one else"


Kate must have known herself to be
the lady referred to, else why had she
appeared so agitated when the old lady
mentioned it? He knew that his wife
kept a journal, and concluded that he
could possess himself of her most secret
thought by reading its pages. One after
noon when Kate had gone out with Ia
dy friend, Conway went to her boudoir
for the purpose of finding this journal.


In one corner of the room stood pref
ty little secretary of carved rosewood.
Not doubling that he should there find
the object of his search, he took bunch
of keys from his pocket, and selecting
one which he supposed to be about the
right size, he essayed to unlock it. So
far he was successful, for the lid came
open with the first trial


"How lucky" he exclaimed, as'he be-
gan to rummage the pigeon-holes and
drawers of the secretary


| He found nothing however, but letters,
notes of invitation, and book of house
| hold accounts


Baffled in his search, Conway closed
the lid with bang. and was about to
leave the room, when he saw small es
critoir upon a table near the window
This box was of some rare kind of wood
inlaid with pearl, and had been sent tc
Kate years ago by Victor Hays, as a
Christmas present. Fortunately for him
the escritoir was unlocked, and drawing
chair to the table he prepared to inves
tigate its contents at his leisure


Perhaps l shall find some souvenirs
of her courtship with Hays" he mur
INJURED.


The first object that met his gaze were
the daguerreotypes of Kate's parents
the same that had been shown him by
aunt Betty. He laid them aside and
picked up a long golden-brown curl. II
seemed to cling caressingly around his
finger, and he gave his hand an impatient
shake to get it off.


at must be her mothers" he thought
II always hated to handle the hair O.
dead people; wouldn't have touched it i
l had thought whose it was"


Next came package of letters tiec
with blue ribbon, which Conway after &
closer investigation found to be the cor
respondence of Mr.. and Mrs. Guy Leon
ard. Something wrapped in silk paper
attracted his attention, which upon open
ing proved to be another lock of hair.


IF 1 am not very much mistaken" hc
soliloquized with rising indignation
this was cnt from the head of Victor
Hays. His hair is as dark as this, and, il
also inclined to curl"


His face flushed angrily.


What right has she to keep this
should like to know?'


Something was written on the wrapper
and Conway felt somewhat ashamed a
he read in childish struggling characters
"A lock of my dear fathers hair" will
a date of ten years before, which hat
been the time that aunt Betty had con
signed it to Kate's keeping.


He scattered the other contents in
patiently about the table and found il
the bottom of the escritoir book whic
he soon discovered to be the one he war
: ted 1t was a rather thick volume an
2 not being daily journal, had been keI
by Kate for FIVE or six years to jot dow
= her thoughts whenever she felt in th