Show THE DEAD LETTER by yv VIRGINIA 1 LEE alan braylo winced us as lie ho arraigned himself in the solitude of tits ills room looked into tits his heart and found no happiness nor prospect of it there surveyed tile the prospect of a v vast list change lu in ills his life about to materialize and decided secretly that lie was wag sacrificing bInce sincerity rity and honor in accepting the sallie ho had find been at brocton fur for over a year ear list first its as cleric then department superintendent and now lie ho wua was manager of the prosperous erous winston iler conille establishment it eliud all come through gli ills striking the liking of gideon winston Wl pi of the aution lie ile anade no new friends and wash was generally voted nn nil unsocial man inan there was a reason when grayle lind lad come coine from ins ills former home lie had left behind tile the girl lie ho loved devotedly vot edly alma alain waters it was upon tits his last evening at tier lier ionic home that lieis wil s interrupted lit in disclosing to tier her ills hearts secret lie ile had time owe only to lo whisper hastily in tier her car that lie he intended to write tier her when lie he reached ills destination would site she reply to a very ery important question he wished to submit flushing and with a shyly tt averted eye that encouraged hlin site she had told him yes when lie i reached cached Il rocton tie lie wrote tile the letter that confessed the ardent love alma already knew was liers liei then lie enclosed lit in a smaller envelope ein elope a twenty dollar bill sealing it and asking alma alain to hand it to tier lier brother ralph in ili looking over ills memorandum book grayle came across nil an item of indebtedness to kalili waters which lie he had totally forgotten lind lie he took tills occasion to liquidate the saine kaine then a fcc days dais of expectant waiting a later week of doubt and anxiety find filially fiti tl nall ally tit at tha lapse of a month with no reply to lily ills letter grayle decided that all womankind were tickle and falso false find entered upon it life of supreme disappointment and bitterness tills this however wrought a change lit in ills hit prospects not only had biad gideon win will abton placed him in tile lie path of sure success and riches but had encouraged grayle grale to come frequently to tits his palatial home thus grayle had met ills daughter helena she was wan a pleasant companion they were it a great de deal together altogether and by stages mi all winston bi ought brought affairs to it point between them where it was nilder understood der stood that helena was to become ills his wife only tills very day winston had spoken to braylo grai jo and told him that lio ile had indicated tile tho dearest wish of of tits ills heart to its ills daughter unit pressing grayle to prosecute pros ills his suit to it a definite understanding 1 I 1 can call never love tier her and tier her father Is entirely deceived in believing that I 1 do mused gunile lie he glanced towards the door on oil its panels lad had le ic sounded a faint fallat timid knock grayle arose to his feet lit in sheer amazement A female figure stood before liliu him lifted a yell veil and revealed the white anxious farce face ot of ahna winston 1 I had to come mr grayle site elic uttered passionately you have been so kind and considerate in our brief companionship tant I 1 could not do you a wrong today my father told me of his Is wish visit that we two become engaged it Is impossible I 1 I 1 am sorry it it causes you ou pain but I 1 love poor but worthy and before I 1 would link my life loe lue lessly with another 1 I will 1111 elope with etli him for a moment only alan grayle re noised noi ted then it seemed as it if a great lood lad lifted elbs MIs wenston Wl lie he said 1 I thank you for tills this candor indor ci I 1 esteem ahall always esteem oil but I 1 too have loved loed and it would bo be cruel mockery to wed md another with her picture ever in memory do not think of preci precipitating pt trouble mul scandal by it clandestine marriage I 1 shall retire from lilt hold field before another doy day has passed in ili chito tile the man you loye may may win your our fathers fa ailers sanction goodby 11 respectfully lie lifted her hand and and pressed it to ills his lips until late in tita night crayle sat devising how h he would mould announce ills his decision to old gid eon winston Wl ile he knew hla his arbitrary dominating nature and concluded that lie would at once nee leave tits ills employment and tile the town HIS hin landlady dIndy handed him a letter jetter as a he started for the store to set affairs in final order A letter sir just camo came she announced noun ced and grayle glancing at it noted that it bore tile the card of ike he dead letter department of the postal sery lev ice binl inside wu was the letter let terlie hf had sent to in alum alma waters its envelope enve lopo bore no stamp and it had been vent sent to ill money one y f found ou it I 1 in it and returned to the writer ns as was ft as the usual rule strong man iian na as lie ho was alan crayle us its lie ho comprehended it sit nation that hall had come at the end of deep sorrow and suffering ye t presenting it hope that gave him wing s of energy and determination lie he went to mr whiston and told the ha whole truthful story and ills his auditor seemed to comprehend that hut perhaps in a battle of lovo love hla hilt will lie he hall had better not risk urging an unhappiness hint might be ba lifelong iauch to tits ids old home tilroe sped grayle fast as steam could take him and nil vill the more pre elous was the reunion with almo alma because of the ordial ordeal through which they buiey had mutually ormed i |