Show THE CRUEL LOVE TEST by MIRIAM LEE SANBORN 1 I aint like your suggestion one bit said winnie dubiously but myrtle was persistent la in her plan it might bo be the making of elwyn to try him out and then circumstances aided the precious project the heedless myrtle not reckoning the manner in which it might affect tile the emotion of 0 a really worthy young man for such elwyn moss was in manner and thought winnie had awakened a new soul in the reckless young tellow fellow who had checked the sowing of wild oats under the influence ot of her helpful sympathizing gentleness twice during the next few days elwyn wy sought and found an opportunity to gt get winnie alone ready botell to tell her his love on both Oc occasions casiono however she managed to flit away before the avowal materialized this discouraged him he felt repelled and hurt in the meantime ned parsons was a good deal in winnies company myrtle harmless but scheming managed it so that when elwyn left the village it was with the conviction that winnie thomas had taken up seriously with and that she regarded himself only as a friend more than this an old chum in formed elwyn that he had it on pretty good authority that winnie and ned had become engaged A few days after elwyn went back ito to work in the city he wrote in his diary any true man who has been under the sweet influence of the companionship panion ship of such a girl as winnie has an ideal to cherish a guardian angel the memory of whom will never leave him better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at aupp all it he suffered disappoint disappointment hent heartbreak he kept it to himself he felt strong in his ability to light fight loneliness and keep to the right course then a new element entered his life ned too came to work in the city elwyn recalled the evident evasion of winnie to give him an opportunity to tell her of his love their parting had been simply that of friends sh she 0 had given him no encouragement now in his daily tasks and evening leisure fate seemed to throw him in the way of ned the latter was enjoying life to the full as he termed it little did his friends at home imagine the drift his follies were leading him into elwyn saw and deplored for the sake of the one one h he might wed elwyn felt he cusido must do all he could to win this reckless young man from the path of waywardness he became ils his constant adviser he was in fact his guardian once at a great sacrifice of time and money he got ned out of a serious gambling scrape exposure ot of which would havekost have lost him his position at another time he took blame upon his own shoulders in behalf of ned it led to his losing a months salary and an advance in business promotion day after day however elwyn watched encouraged reformed the object of his solicitude reward came it was with a thrill of glada gladness L Ss that elwyn realized that he had not labored in vain when ned said to him one day grasping his hand fervently tears in her eyes you have saved me old boy it all came over me what a true self seir dicing friend you have been I 1 felt it my duty to straighten out with ahe house here their misconception regarding mistakes I 1 made and not you yell I 1 have written the folks home I 1 am through with all the old folly and I 1 owe it all to you then there is the dear little girl even the folks dont know about flora day shell mess bless you tor for your good work and have to be the best nian man flora day repeated elwyn in bewilderment why yes we have been secretly engaged for six months glad ile he was suddenly roused to emotions that swayed hla his soul in an indefinable whirl ned read some hidden mystery under his strange manner begot the truth out of him thought I 1 was favored by winnie ho laughed why man im a hopeless scapegrace in heres tf nation aaion I 1 see atall it ill oh you noble noble fellow fr for winnies sake you tried to oame so soli JI would he be worthy of her winnie cried like a child when myrtlo myrtle read to her a letter written by her brother sh she e reproached herself she declared she was unworthy of the brave hearted man whom she had put to a cruel crucial test 1 I shall never dare to face him again she sobbed oh lob myrtle it was wicked it was grand cried myrtle tell your mother all about it while I 1 tell mine of her boy the new brother and son eon we are going to have after this and all through elwyn moss mors when elwyn got oft off the train at his bl home town a week later it was myrtle who met him at the depot she told him the whole story there was avas somebody waiting tor for him she said and E elwyn know who it was forgive was the first fluttering word that greeted erected him from winnies lips 1 I have blessed you when I 1 thought your heart had turned away from me said elwyn how much more now that I 1 know you are all my own copyright 1915 by W G Cha chapman |