Show E elizabeths liza beths outside the landscape was sodden sad ard dreary A chill rain heat beat against the pare paco and now and then sharp gusts of wind shook the naked limbs of the trees and sent flying the few withered leaves that still clung to the branches branche 3 it seemed to elizabeth sitting at the window that the day yas typical ot of her own life for or the rain ot of discontent beat in upon her soul and the gusty winds ol of adversity shook her faith in mankind and sent scurrying through the void tho the dead leaves ot of her withered ideals tomorrow ow she would go back home home to the dingy little farmhouse where she had tolled tailed and slaved through ugh all her yorty life tack back to the drudgery 0 of baklin sewing and alo thousand and one tasks of 0 domestic life yet in her hand she held a letter which offered her an avenue of 0 escape end and assured her a cessation ot of the drudgery that had borne in upon her soul ever since she could remember until recently she had bad been content for she knew no other lot then had come an invitation irom from her sister to visit at the lat batters home through the summer margaret her elder sister had married for money through the kindly offices ot of a summer boarder who had taken as an interest in the clever girl her husband mr tollif was compelled to remain in an town this summer that ho he might be under the care of a famous specialist and deprived ot of her accustomed visit back home margaret had asked that elizabeth might corao come to her for tour four months elizabeth had moved through a dream life in the expensively furnished home ot of the there were always guests greets in tho the evening for richard tobin entertained lavishly though he was waa forbidden the rich foods that he loved to set before those who enjoyed bis hospitality dicky belding had bad called it eating dinner for him and now she was to leavo leave it all to go hack to the dull routine of the farm until in the spring guy rawlings should claim her os as his wil aka mar biaso to guy would mean only work in a new home perhaps even moro more work for his farm arm was small and a heavy mortgage mort gass bad been left upon it by his father C cyrus rus hartzell too had bad written her an offer of marriage and the letter lay in her lap as she looked out of the window across the park hartzell was waa an intimate friend of Tob lna a dry withered moneymaking money making machine whose first wife had died so it was said because of the privations she had endured in Hart Hartzell zells 3 early days of moneymaking money making when every penny was put back into the business to be ba turned over and over again multiply ing itself until at last hartzell was waa it at once a widower and a millionaire and now hs he honored elizabeth by offering ott ering her hla his hand and fortune ile ho wanted someone to preside over hla bla home as gracefully ns as margaret played the hostess tor for his friend it was waa a business communication rather than it a lovo love letter but elizabeth preferred it so EO she could not have endured it had hs he apohen ot of love As aa it was she rose at length and crossed tho the room to the tiny flay writing desk thera them was no real engi engagement gement with guy and in a tew few abort words she eho ex pressed her appreciation of tho the honor lf harwell artzell had done her end and his offer ocer sho she still sat at her desk the letter sealed and stamped lying before her when margaret entered something la in the tenseness of her attitude alarmed the tha younger g girl trl and she sha sprang to her sisters side what Is s it meg she cried us aa she I 1 threw her arms about her what has happened margaret bent anti and kissed hissed the girls white lips richard la Is dead thank god cod she he said simply ile wms waa seized with an attack and died before we could get tho the doctor elizabeth recoiled at the harshness of the tones and softly murmur murmured etl thank god margaret turned to her passionately yes thank god she cried bosit you dont know have gono gone through with no one ona will over ever know what that I 1 have suf suffered ered unless they too have sold sod their lives for comfort and wealth for six years I 1 leave h ave been tied to a man I 1 did not love wao did not love me denied even one word of love now I 1 have ray my reward I 1 am rich and a widow but god help mo me I 1 no longer have a heart it Is dead within me killed by my mx loveless life gently elizabeth led the hysterical woman to aso a so eoa a and while tho the household upset by the occurrence hurried about to see sea that needful things were done elizabeth sat with her ber sister vainly trying to comfort tho the stunned ednan at A last with dai aa e I 1 effort margaret roused herself 1 I 1 ast must go and sea that flowers aro are ordered I 1 must keep up appearances to the bitter end she sha said dully dess you will wall wait until until afterward wont you 1 I shall hall not g go 0 until you no longer need me cie promised tho the girl cs as she put her arm about margaret slowly they moved toward the door but on the threshold elizabeth paused and ran toward the desk in the tonj crate a cheerful fire burned to offset the disagreeable dampness ot of tho the weather and on tho the glowing coals she laid the letter to hartzell guy Is not rich she whispered to herself except in his love but that Is the beat ol of all aua |