| Show n STORY by FRANK lit by Y pub co it had bad been the ot of oung 1 ike ill tes that hid bid taken me ine to the club that evening when I 1 met him man a an biering aimle M about in a condition I 1 knew that there thera was mas tome rome thing unusual on his mini and as I 1 was his chosen confidant conn dint counselor and confessor on all occasions I 1 slin ply lily dragged him to the cila smoking room determined that hat be sheild un bosom himself now wilbur I 1 said go ahead and tell me all about it sill sh I 1 said wilkes we me are not alone nonsense I 1 set speak ing in a low voice its onla poor old ile he t count anyway old sinclair clr was a gentleman called old by reason ot of obvious indis potable and respectable age lie he was known certainly to have been a mem mein her of the club for over 40 years and it was orion slid said that lie never filled to put in a nightly appearance tl il eie ale during those four decides wilbur b trouble double to be a red rei ay iy y unnecessary misunderstanding with a loung lady with mith whom I 1 happened to lo be acquainted and my opinion therefore was mas quickly foamed and mv m advice adnice promptly ole go to her bar at once m na be bov and ex elilu to her as you have bae to me N W till kh an expression of thankfulness and teller wilbur lighted his cl algir ir rod ve were nvere leaning bick to enjoy the ho luxury of our shelter from th ill without when ullen the silence vis suddenly bielien b by an unexpected voce toce gentlemen it was mas croken sharply shir ply but in i high bred brad one and came from old sin alati the only occupant of the room besides ourselves gentlemen hp be repeated as we a turned in our seats I 1 trust you will not think mo me capable ot of eavesdrop ping but I 1 real could not help hell over hearing bearing your our conversation without mon moving in away the look or of senile oblivion had van vaa dished from the old gentleman s face he seemed bright alert and agitated bv bi some deep emotion certainly mr sinclair I 1 replied pia pi a do not apologize I 1 heard the story of mr kir walkes an and d nour reply and I 1 wish to heaven I 1 had hid such a friend to give me the simp advice pran allow allom me to explain he said with the all and manner of a grandl son 1 I hope I 1 shall not bore you with mth my mv little story stor but the case cafe of mr wilkes and m own are parallel in a certain sense in a certain sense not parallel mr air wilkes in his un fortunate embarrassment his nothing so tar far as I 1 can perceive for which to blame himself I 1 on the other hand wis mas wholly to blame for the misunderstanding which separated ruth and me she hid ninny miny admirers of whom hom I 1 was mas one certai certainly not the least devoted we hid bid known each other from childhood she admitted me to her and confidence to a licater gi cater extent perhaps than she did ana an other of her admirers still she never gave gae any sin si n that she eared for me I 1 tl e way that I 1 de sired and one I 1 returned to my rooms from an entertainment at which milich she had made tile me furiously jealous I 1 sat sal brooding for an hour or more In inflaming flamin m mv mind with mth thoughts of 0 ruth a inconstancy ind heartlessness at last I 1 determined to arlle to her to tell her that m mv beart my life were at her disposal that I 1 was content to wait for beats it if need be but that I 1 must hive have some kind of an ans answer er within 24 hours or that there after we me should meet as strangers 1 I cairies out my resolution I 1 to my mv writing table and took up a sheet of paper in those thoe days gen clemen we wrote on large letter sheets of rough white or blue linen illien p paper per which we then folded and fas bened with sealing wax or Na wafers fers writing ri ting the address upon the outside of the letter itself EnN envelopes elopes were oril just coming into fashion it occurred to me that I 1 had a small sample of choice french note paper then something new with mith en delopes to match imported bys friend and given to mo me as a curiosity it was like satin lit in finish and of a ful fill delicate tint there were only two sheets of the paper and two en slopes elopes in the original box a tasteful parisian affair tied with gilt cord I 1 on one of the two sheets I 1 penned ml m letter which I 1 read carefully over and then as though fearful lest even the angels in heaven should look down and gaze upon the message sacred to ta her eyes I 1 turned it face downward downard on my desk while for a few moments I 1 leaned back bach in my any chair and smoked in dreamy reverie rhen I 1 my ay letter in n one of the enveloped envelo peb replacing the other ehaet carefully in the box with its en I 1 delope As I 1 tied it up with the golden I 1 cord I 1 a said aid to myself mi self I 1 it ruth accepts me then the first note that bat I 1 write wilta to her if ever we should be separated tor for a day after our marriage shall be written upon this sheet but if she does not accept me it shall remain hidden here till I 1 die sir continued mr sinclair in the same well modulated measured tone ruth never answered me I 1 met her a few ew days after n riling and she would have spoken to rne me but I 1 would act ot resu cind 1 I had sold said in my letter that hit we must be as a strangers we hive hied here in the same city ever since and met many times always as strang stran gols pis though she did not accept a mo me she did not mirry marry ann am one else and anever I 1 never knew the acason till to indeed I 1 exclaimed es and the reason was as she never received mi letter for idiot didlot that I 1 wis I 1 never sent seat it never neer sent it I 1 said wilkes and I 1 almost in a breath low ion was tas thail I 1 will III explain said the old gentle man with dignity it MIS 50 years ago tills this ner veri day that I 1 wrote that letter and as I 1 sat to tonight night in I 1 rl the same room thinking over the old I 1 tries mes I 1 halt half solved les ic olied to t write to ruth on once m more 0 re before I 1 died ce 1 I t took 0 k 0 out ut the old faded tawdry tadry box from its secret driver dramer in my writ instable ing table but as milli alln ti embling fin gars I 1 untied the tarnished cord there fluttered out no empt empty sheet there fell upon my desk the varv cr letter I 1 v a rote to ruth nuth 50 scars cars ago to da t I 1 that letter and never nevar posted it instead I 1 had bad folded the blank sheet it in the envelope and milled that hen she received that blank sheet of piper paper she must emit haxe have uon wondered dered what hat it could bIx mean but when I 1 would mould not speak to her she probably pio bably thought thong gh t ali ah lie meant it was nias all he had to say As mr qin sinclair clair concluded lie he I 1 me the letter it was vins brief manly r G 4 fj 1 1 I sat brooding for an hour or more and respectful and written in a beautifully neat hand band I 1 knew knem not what to say sav as be resumed in a hesitating embarrassed manner do sou 5 oil think it is too late dori dont t 3 vou ou think v we e might make it up ruth and I 1 and be bapp happa together for the short time that remains to us do I 1 krim know the ladi mr I 1 inquired at length miss ford he ansi answered vered simply I 1 knew miss ford A dear old maiden lady who mho was mas always at the head of all andl works and spent her time and her wealth in going about doing good wherever good might be done don dont t i lou on think thin m we e might make it up ruth kuth and 19 i 1 the question was mas still in ill mi ears and I 1 was as pondering it oer and wondering what possible answer I 1 could give to the old gent lemans s singular and quera when to my great relief further confidential con Ne es ration atton was prevented by the en trance of a boisi party arid and mr dvir sin clair slipped awn the next night I 1 visited tre club corner again and is as I 1 approached pro ached old mr sinclair I 1 beard dr baria ban saying savins to the little group as there I 1 I 1 ive ve just jils t forne acme from a strange call miss rord ford Is dead died suddenly an lour l conr ago no 0 o pant pain heart failure just left there As the doctor made this announce ment I 1 heard mr sinclair sax sai softly ruth I 1 looked intend at him and saw him leaning back in his chair gazing at the ceiling belling cel ling a gentle smile upon his face apparently he was talking to 0 o himself and had bad not heard what the doctor slid I 1 rustle a sign to barn ten ilia be con tinned in a lower tone relating as a peculiar circumstance that ford nhen found had in her lap an envelope bearing i a postmark of if years ago while beside it mas has an apparently blank sheet of paper on close ex he be had bad found written in a corner in a neat feminine hand the tha words bichai d s letter I 1 took the doctor abida rod villis ahls was the paper like this A amin sheet he be answered as I 1 pissed mm him mr Sin clairs letter melch I 1 had been unable to return the night before I 1 put in finger to m lip and pointed over my shou dr laAr barry looked lu in the direction of the old gentleman and immediately exclaimed hello this I 1 striding past me he halted in trout front of mr sinclair the old gentleman Is lead dead he said dulcetly dul etly I 1 I 1 lie he was anas right old sinclair had heard the news of miss fords death buttered uttered that one word nord ruth and ithan then died as she he had bad died of heart allure I 1 lure and cid sitting la in his chair before the file his question was answered without tny my md aid speedily and satisfactorily they had made it up nom noil ruth and he lie ho had gone bone to meet her it nay may be as she had bad known him long ions ago not frail and feeble as le he had ap pealed to us but gifted with milli eternal louth 3 auth yes they lad had made it up ruth and ha be |
