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Show i TJJ I .The Herai I 1 Lover I 1:1 Br Grace Beulat Windsor S A ....,,.....,., ,-,fi- (Copyright, 1815, by W. O. Chapman.) Itandal Waro had read in somo book or newspaper that there aro animals which, when dosporately wounded, seek somo" secluded solitary spot in which thoy may dlo peacefully. This recurred to him as ho gloomily picked up his sportsman's outfit, preparatory to a speedy dash for tho wilderness. For ho had boon griovously wound cd In his affection, It was true, but all that was worth striving for seemed to havo gono out ot his Ufa and ho was inclined to glvo up tho struggle. This had happened: Tho young lady with whom ho wob desperately in love, and who ho was assured sincerely returned his affection, was about to marry another. This was hor wedding ovo. It had been torment unutterablo to remain In tho samo town whero sho was, but Jealously guarded from his company it was slow torturo now to linger within tho echoes ot wedding bolls, that might peal forth tho Joy of others, but to him misery his doomt it was all tho' fault of purse-proud, autocratic parents. If Lolla Bridges had gono so far as to engage herself to Waro tho latter would have stood his ground and maintained his rights. As it was, whllo eyo to eyo had spoken spo-ken unutterablo devotion, no deflnlto promlso had passed between them. Wnro had been refused admittance to tho Drldgcs home, Lolla was whisked away to a whirl of social gaycty in Jho city. Only one tiny note, evident- There Was Little Zest In the Sport, However. ly dispatched under difficulties, for it was a hasty scrawl, bore Leila's initials, ini-tials, with tho enigmatic words: "I shall fool them yet, and you I shall novor forgot." Striving to bollovo that something mlcht Intorvnno in dnlnv fir Tirovnnt tho wedding, Waro had llncored about tho town after Leila's roturu from tho city, but . now, within twenty-four hours of tho ceremony, ho abandonod all hopo. A willing bride or a satrW flco, Leila had choson, or had boon forcod to chooso stupid but wealthy Boyd Weaver as hor Hfo companion. Thereforo Itandal Ware was about to fly to familiar solitary haunts, to hide himself, to mourn in secret, to try to forget. . It was a strnngo coincidence, ho reflected, re-flected, as ho was driven from tho romoto pineries station to tho old camping placo ho and his friends had so often visited, that bo passed tha summer homo ot a cousin of Leila's. In fact, It was hero that ho had first met Leila. That was tho previous season, sea-son, when sho and hor mother had been guests ot tho cousin In question and of his family. It was qulto dusk as tho old buck-board buck-board wagon passed tho Lodgo, as It was called, and Waro noticed lights moving about tho'placo. "The Davenals horo?" ho inquired ot tho driver. "Yes, and fcolng to stay Into deer tlmo, I hear," roplled tho native. From tho direction ot tho buncalow merry voices echoed out as tho wagon passed on. Waro winced; it all ro-mlnded ro-mlnded him ot tho pleasant hours he had spent at that spot In tho company ot Leila. Tho old camping place was five miles farther on through tho woods. As they arrived at tho old cabin, look lng lonely and desolate in tho melancholy mel-ancholy moonlight, Waro spoko to the driver. "My man," ho said, "no ono who knows mo saw mo arrive at tho station sta-tion except yourself." "Yes, sir," nodded tho man Inquisitively. Inquisi-tively. "Keep It quiet from everybody," said Ware, handing tho man a double foe. "You enn run up with your team, say, twlco a week, and get my ordors for supplies." "Yos, sir, thank you, Blr," bobbed tho driver, "I'm mum ns midnight!" At tlmos Waro bad really bolloved that ho would becomo a hermit, and that permanently. The cheerless aspect as-pect of tho old hut, howovor, the absence ab-sence ot all companionship dampened his ardor mightily as two days of dreary Isolation passed by. Waro tried fishing, but it did not fill tho bill. Tho partridges wero running run-ning and ho got down his gun. Thcro was littlo zest In tho sport, however. Ho would start a covey and then list lcBsly neglect to tako a shot beforo thoy wero safe In covert. Ho would sit down on a fallen log, ostensibly to rest, nnd rouse himself from a gloomy nnd distressing rov-erio rov-erio over Leila nlways nnd over Leila! Ho had not estimated his nearness to tho Lodgo until ho caught the sound of singing nnd the echo of mandolins. man-dolins. Ho hurriod from tho Bpot with moro vivid sorrowing memories than ever. A form dashed oft into tho underbrush under-brush Just then from tho direction ot the Lodgo. Ware, scanning Its flight, mado out a lltho, graceful fcmlnlno figure. Then It had vanished. Ho hastened his steps, discerning in tho speedy dash of the person ho had seen somo runaway frolic of a guest of tho Lodge, and ho did not wish to' meet any of them. Ho slackened Ills gait as ho got out of sight of tho JxDdgo. Ho yawned wearily as ho turned his face toward tho camp. Another long! eventless day promised. A partrldgo whirred over his head and beyond. Ho thought of dinner and raised his fowllngplcco. Tho bird was diving Into a nest ot underbrush as he fired. It escaped scatheless, but as tho small shot rattled among tho bushes a shrill, piercing scream rang out. "Great heavens! I havo shot somebody!" some-body!" cried Waro In consternation. Ho throw down his gun and dashed anxiously toward tho brush. He parted part-ed tho bushes. There, hiding hor faco with hor hands, upon her knees and rocking to and fro in mortal terror, was tho girl ho had seen running from tho Lodgo ho recognized her dress at once. "You aro hurt I flred, not knowing thero was anyone near Leila!" In stupefaction he scanned tho faco of tho girl as her hands were withdrawn. with-drawn. She turned deathly white. She uttered a strangely enigmatical sentenco "It Is fate!" For tho space of fully a mlnuto thoso two, so singularly, so tragically met, stood staring, spellbound. "I wns only frightened," tattered Leila tremulously. "I was was running run-ning away, and heard footsteps, and hid" ' "From whom why?" inquired Waro in sheer mystification. "My mother had traced mo. I hoped they would not think of my being with my cousins at the Lodgo." "But your husband?" "I am not married," sho whispered, her glanco drooping. "I ran away from from that man, whom I detest on my wedding day." "Again, why?" Sho answered him with a turtlvo look, her faco crimsoning. His heart gavo a mighty bound, and ho askod calmly, "Shall I tako you back to the Lodge?" "To meet him!" sho cried bitterly. "Novor! Oh, Randal, Mr. Ware, get , me away as quick as you can.' Surely I am my own mistress. Surely you will not put me back in that old captivity, when you know when you know " Could ho resist her? Could ho mis- tako tho timid eyes that pleaded, yet 1 wore abaBhcd? "If I dared think," ho said, "that I : could oflor you my protection, my |