THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
She knew t hat ttie was In honor and In conscience 
hound to tell him this, but she (lid not. She watch¬ 
ed him as he walked down the high-road, knowing 
that he went away with a sense o( hope In his heart 
that was hereafter to cause him only more deadly 
pain. The wrong that she did him In letting him 
leave her with the truth untold was as great as the 
wrong she had done him In breaking her plighted 
troth. 
CHATTER xx n. 
Felix was at rest lor a short time. When he 
grew calmer and thought, more carefully about 
Mrs. Haye’s letter, he ceased to icel any great sur¬ 
prise. Mrs. llaye was, he knew, a worldly woman, 
and nothing was more natural under the circum¬ 
stances than that she should cease to care for her 
daughter’s marriage with him. But, with the hope 
that had sprung up afresh In his heart, it seemed 
to him that his strength and Ills energy had no 
bounds, that he could work as no cme had ever 
worked. Violet was the mainspring of It all. If he 
lost her, he knew that he should never care to do 
another hours labor! He began afresh with such 
zeal, such energy, such Industry and perseverance, 
that every ono wondered ul him. lie lot them 
w onder—he knew why ho was working. 
And, white ho was Counting the hours, trying to 
turn each one into gold, Sir Owen was busy too. 
He had come to a porlect understanding with Mr. 
and Mrs. Hay©. lie told them that he would cheer¬ 
fully give liftU his fortune to make Violet his wife. 
He had asked them to help him, and had promised 
them their reward. Mrs. llaye went on a short 
visit to her cousin, and was dismayed to hear rrom 
Violet that Felix had been to see her—that he had 
gone back homo with the hope that all was light. 
“ Why did you not tell him the t ruth, violet 
asked Mrs. llaye sternly, “it was cruel to de¬ 
ceive him further.” 
“ I could note mamma,” she replied, her eyes lilt¬ 
ed with tears—“he looked so ill and unhappy, I 
could not.” 
“ It was cruel kindness, Violet,” declared Mi's. 
Haye; but she said no more, knowing that, in her 
daughter's place, she should have done the same 
tiling. 
It was arranged that sir Owen should go down 
to North Alton and renew Ids Offer of marriage. 
If violet consented, the marriage must toko place, 
Mrs. llaye said. Ill London, n they e.otr nrini-d 
at Lilford, Felix I/msclale was qulte^capable of go¬ 
ing into the church and taking the bride from the 
altar. She was sorry for him. and she lelt that It. 
would be needless cruelty lor the marriage to he 
celebrated just hero re his eyes, “It will be hard 
enough," she said to herself. “ without that.” 
So all W'US arranged as she desired. Sir Owen 
went to North Alton, and the beautiful fickle girl 
who had loved Felix Lonsdale and given him up 
plighted her troth to a man she did not lovc- 
pLighted It because he was rich. lie had taken with 
him a magnificent diamond ling, which was to be 
the pledge of their engagement; and. as la- placed 
It on her linger, lie looked wistfully Into her race. 
“You care Tor me a little, Violet, do you not? 
You are a cold bride, after ulL for a man to win. 
If I thought you really liked that lawyer better 
than me, l would not ask you to marry me—upon 
my soul 1 would not! I give you all 1 have—my 
love and my fortune. Surely you have a smile and 
a kind word to give, me Lnreturn.” 
No wonder that he spoke ln that strain to her. 
She was too weak ever to be a great, sinner—too 
weak to sin and forget her sin. It looked her ln 
the face now' as she stood with the light of the 
Baronet’s eyes upon her, the diamond ring on her 
finger, contrasting the wooing of her two lovers, 
and knowing full welt which was best. 
“Am 1 not kind?" she asked with an exquisite 
smile—a smile that, pleased him so that he clasped 
her ln his arras and kissed her. 
When lie did so, she wished herself dead, she 
said to herself that, she could not go through with 
this new engagement; that she must lot the wealth, 
the rank,.the title pass; that she must give all up 
and go back to Felix. She loved Felix, and she did 
not, nor would she ever, love Sir Owen. 
She had a few ml miles Tor these reflections; and 
then he was telling her of the future, of all she 
would enjoy—how people would envy her, and 
what a position she would take In the great bright 
world, she listened, for the words were pleasant, 
and forgot her pain. 
To Felix Lonsdale there came st,range rumors, 
bit he would not believe any of them, lie had Im¬ 
plicit faith in Violet—implicit trust. I'nlil she told 
him that she was false to him, he should not believe 
one woixl to that, effect. 
One morning he received two letters. One was 
from Violet, and It, said— 
“Try to forget me, Felix. 1 have never been 
worthy of Hie great love you have given me; I am 
not worthy or it notv. Try to forget, me; for I have 
been thinking It all over, and I can see that our en¬ 
gagement, must, l ie broken. You said you would be¬ 
lieve It when I wrote it,. Believe it now, for I say 
that It must end. In the years to come we may be 
friends—never anything more.” “ Vioi.bt." 
He read It with unbelief. Some one hart com¬ 
pelled her to Write It,; it had not been done of her 
own free will—of that, lie was sure. 
The second note was from bis humble, faithful 
friend Jennie, the pretty housemaid, written with 
many apologies lor the liberty slip had taken; but 
she wanted him to know that her young lady 
would be at home at the Limes that night, on her 
road from North Alton to London. Her master 
and mistress were going to London with .Visa vio¬ 
let, she added, and she was afraid there was mis¬ 
chief on foot. It was her own private opinion that 
they had persuaded Miss v iolet to marry some one 
else. If lie went in the Limes late that evening, 
she would keep the entrance gate and the garden 
gate open, and she would manage that he should 
see Miss llaye. 
He read both letters through, but’he Old not lose 
his reason this time. A calm settled despair came 
to him, against which he struggled blindly; he 
could not believe that his love was false- even 
though he read it in her own handwriting. He 
would not believe it unless she told him so herself— 
anything was more credible than that she should 
have deceived him and broken her word. When 
he believed that, he said to himself, the heavens 
woutd fall. Whom could she bo going to marry ? 
Now absurd t Itow ridiculous! He hud never 
heard her name mentioned except with his own. 
He knew that, she bad ninny admirers, but who 
would dare to speak of marriage to her when it 
was well known that she was engaged to litol? He 
could well understand that it was Jennie’s own 
sensitive care and anxiety for him that had led her 
to make the mistake. 
He would go however and see t’lotet, and hear 
from her what It all meant—hut not at night—cer¬ 
tainly not when It was late, as though he were 
afraid or being seen, lie was her betrothed lover, 
she was his promis'd wile. He would go up to the 
front door ln the broad daylight and ask to see the 
girl who had promised to marry him. Suddenly he 
remembered that, li he did so, he must betray Jen¬ 
nie. Violet's return had been kept a secret, and 
the lainlly would at once suspect her of having 
betrayed it. Another thing had occurred to 1 lim¬ 
it they did not wish him to see Violet, and he went 
ln a straightforward, honest way to ask for her. 
they might, and most probably would refuse to let 
him see her; they would Invent some untruth or 
other, and, li she were really going to London, he 
should miss the only chance lie had of seeing her. 
It was humiliating and mortifying, hut he must 
act as Jennie proposed; he had no other resource, 
lie would go that night and see violet. 
Again he wrote home to say that he should not 
return until late; and Kate’s kind eyes tilled with 
tears as she read, thinking of how luird he was 
working, and her heart misgave her that it was all 
for nothing—that the prize lie was laboring and 
waiting and hoping for would never bo bis. she 
had heaid of Violet's absence from homo, and her 
quick mother-wit had soon told her that of that 
absence Felix knew little or nothing, she drew a 
had augury from that, it boded mischief to him, 
she felt sure. She was compelled to content her- 
seir with the thought Lhat she would sit up for him 
and attend to his comfort when he did return. 
Felix went. He hated him sell for going at night, 
when no one could sec him—tor seeking a clandes¬ 
tine Interview with his promised wife. The night 
was dark, and the wind blew cold. It was after 
nine when he reached the entrance gate, lie found 
It open, and Jen me waiting lor him inside. 
“ You will not be angry with me, sir, will you ?” 
she said. “ But it seemed to me almost, as though 
some one were being killed, l am quite sure they 
have persuaded my young lady to marry some one 
else. I heard her cry lng bitterly this evening.” 
But Felix could not discuss the subject nearest 
lo his heart even with this faithful, humble friend. 
“Do you think I shall be able to see Miss llaye, 
Jennie ?” he asked. 
•* Yes, sir. 1 will give her a message that, In a 
few minutes will bring her down here to you. She 
will not be angry with me.” And in a few minutes 
sne liad kept her word.—To be continued. 
THE SEOEET MAEEIAGE. 
s. a. r. 
To say that, Harvey FrotMngham was ;in a bad 
temper was to put the mildest form of words to ex¬ 
press the savage mood In which lie found himself 
one winter's evening, as lie shot through t he main 
street of the town of L-, on his way homeward. 
Everything had gone contrary to his wishes all the 
week. 
To commence with, he had fallen in love with 
Josephine ormund, whose pretty face was her only 
fortune, and wiio worked In a paper-box factory for 
tier dally bread. 
Entirely Ignorant of the fact that Harvey Froth- 
lngham was a man ofjstei ndlng and wealth in L—, 
pretty Josle allowed the minor facts, that he was 
Insultingly free in his addresses,'.to Influence her so 
strongly, that her dignified reserve taught him the 
lesson he needed, and wben he sought her for hia 
wife she refused the honor. 
“As If, by Jove!” the angry man meditated, “I 
was only a hod-carrier.” 
To add to this dlscomtlture, the heiress, Miss 
Maude Chesterton—whom lie had held ln reserve, 
that Ills ambit ion might win a wife If Ids love would 
not—had coolly Informed him lhat she was engaged 
to Fred Holman. 
Now, If there was one man above another who 
was utterly detestable In the eyes of Harvey Froth- 
lnghani, It, was Fred nolman. 
They had both been rivaLs at school, where both 
stood well tn talent, application arid social position; 
and Fil’d was t-ver a little ln advance ln every 
Btudy, carrying away i he contested prtz.es far more 
frequently than it suited Harvey lie should. 
In society, Fred’s handsome face, ready wit, 
courteousmannehs, and frank, sunny temper, kept 
him ever in higher favor limn llarvey Frothlng- 
harn’s sullen, cold disposition could gain. 
And uow, when Maude had been ever gracious to 
the son of the wealthy banker, Silas Froth Ingham, 
she answered his love-suit ;by the tidings that his 
life-long rival had won the promise to be his bride. 
“ And the worst or il is, it will be Just the match 
to suit ills uncle," muttered Harvey, savagely. 
“ No fear or him disinheriting Fred now.” 
For Harvey know that Fred depended entirely 
upon the. good-will of Ills mother’s broiiier, James 
Rutherford, a wealthy and eccentric bachelor, for 
hlsIncome. He had been left an orphan when a 
mere boy, and ills uncle had adopted and educated 
hlni, and would probably nmke him his heir. 
But the bachelor, having long ago put away 
sentiment, n he ever fell, ir, looked to Fred to make 
a matcji that would Increase hls fortune and social 
position. It was the wish of hls heart to see 
Fred the husband of Maude Chesterton, and hls 
wish was to be fulfilled. 
Harvey Frothlngham, at odds wit h love, would 
like to see hls rival refused, disinherited, humbled 
as he felt himself humbled, since neither love nor 
money would accept him. 
He strode over the pavement ln a savage mood, 
and started suddenly to see Josephine Ormund 
coming out of a shop a few steps ln advance of 
him. In her hand were several small packages, 
and her face was pale and anxious. 
In a moment Harvey was at her side. 
“Let me carry some of your parcels,” he said, 
lifting his hat as he spoke. 
“Thank you, I have only a lew steps to go,” 
nswered Josle., hurrying forward nervously. 
"You need not be afraid of me,” Harvey said, 
noting her nervous manner. “I will not annoy 
.you! Why will you not believe my respect is as 
great for you ns my love 7” 
And before he knew exactly where hls words 
were leading him, the young man was renewing 
the offer he had made before. 
At the door of a small lodging-house Josle stop¬ 
ped and faced him. 
“ You have spoken sola-fore, Mr. Frothlngham,” 
she said, gently: and because 1 believe you are 
sincere, I will tell you what 1 have kept secret for 
six months; 1 ana already married!” 
“Josle; Be quick l Why do you stand there?” 
erica a voice In the narrow hall-way, and a man 
slopped Into the bar of light thrown across the 
open door by a street lamp. 
" Fred Holman 1” mattered Harvey, starting for¬ 
ward. “ Married ! and to Fred Holman 1” 
It almost consoled him In hls own disappoint¬ 
ment to think of the hold he had upon hls rival. 
Engaged to Maud Chesterton, and married to Josle 
Ormund! Fancy t he proud face when she knew 
She had been deceived tor a gtrl who worked ln a 
factory. And sweeter still was it to Harvey Froth¬ 
lngham to think of the wrath of James Ruther¬ 
ford when the news reached him. 
Bui lu his triumph Harvey Frothlngham had 
resolved to ho very cautious, to have strong proof 
of Ills rival’s marriage before venturing to accuse, 
to either hls uncle or tils betrothed. 
lie had noticed the number of the house In the 
glare of the street lump; •• No. 28, Ralph street.” 
This was tt: entry he made in hls note-hook, ln 
case hls mem >ry proved treacherous. 
It. seemed a \ if fortune favored hls plans. 
Only the next, day, happening to go into a large 
frnlt-and-flower-shop, he saw Fred Holman selects 
„.ng the contents oi a large fancy basket of choicest 
Vulte and rarest blossoms. 
, Nodding carelessly to Harvey, he wrote the 
address upon a card, and attached It to the pretty 
basket. 
“ You will send this at once,” he said, and then 
left the shop. 
And Harvey, taking the place Fred had Just 
vacated, read the card: 
“Mrs. F. Holman, No. as Ralph Street.” 
What proof was needed now ? If was not ln the 
nature ot Ilarvey Frothlngham to work openly Ln 
any scheme. A blow ln the dark suited him better. 
Feeling sure of bis position now. he hurried home¬ 
ward to write two anonymous letters, that would, 
he mildly Hoped, disinherit and utterly confound 
hls long successful rival. 
one of these venomous missives found Maude 
-tetezstcrlon In her prett y boudoir, trifling with some 
embroidery, and dreaming sweet, dreams of her 
love and Fred Holman’s sweet devotion. 
she was a handsome, dignified girl of nineteen, 
lull of all womanly sweetness, unspoiled by her 
great wealth. 
sue loved Fred Holman with the whole strength 
of her young heart- and she was sure that her love 
was returned. 
With the divine intuition of true love, she knew 
that if she were beggared or deformed Fred would 
love her still the same. 
Not for money had lie sought, her for hls wife, 
not even to please his uncle. He loved her. 
The dainty work under the slender.flngers pro¬ 
gressed but slowly, ns Maude lay back ln her deep 
arm-chair, looking Into the glowing tire, and build¬ 
ing castles of future happiness. 
From this tender reverie she was aroused by a 
servant, who handed her a squarely-folded letter, 
awkwardly addressed, and fastened with a water. 
Wondering who her unknown correspondent 
could be, she opened the paper. The same strag¬ 
gling hand Inside met he*- eyes. Only a few lines 
were written: 
“If you would have a proof of the falsehood of 
one you believe true, go at eight o'clock rids even¬ 
ing to the second floor of No. 28 Ralph street, and 
you wUl find Air. Frederick Holman and bis wltel" 
“ Anonymous 1” the proud girl said, her lips curl¬ 
ing and her eyes flashing. “ It is a falsehood!” 
She threw the note upon the coals us she spoke, 
and watched the flames curl and blacken the, pa¬ 
per till ft flashed out or sight tip the chimney. 
’then, with all the color stricken from her face, 
she took up her embroidery. 
Had Harvey watched her then, he would have 
thought that that poisoned arrow ,had missed Its 
atin. 
But It was not so. Tho work was thrown aside, 
the piano rang out under the restless lingers, a 
novel was opened, a room was put ln order; hut 
while the calm face betrayed no secret sutTering, 
the. girl was tortured all day by the words of the 
anonymous note: 
“ Frederick Holman and his wire!" 
could it Ik; ? Had the frank, brown eyes that had 
looked so lovingly Into hois, mirrored only a false 
heart ? Was she. Indeed, so far deceived? 
Long before eight o'clock Maude Chesterton had 
resolved to prove or ralslfy the words that seemed 
burned upon her brain. 
Surely, ot all the world she had the best right to 
test the t ruth ol such a monstrous charge against 
her betrothed lover. 
And while she was striving to hide from any eyes 
the tortures she endured, Janies Rutherford was 
storming up and down hls library, holding the sec¬ 
ond of Harvey Frot h Ingham’s communications ln 
hls hand. 
ln the same awkward handwriting, the sam 
facte were stated, the same hour and place to ver¬ 
ify the writer’s words. 
But the peppery old bachelor made no secret of 
hls wrath. To have listened to him, ono would 
4A#S. 4 
have supposed that making mince meat of hls dis¬ 
obedient nephew was the least he Intended. He 
called him all the pet names suggested by a fu¬ 
rious rage; he used up all the abusive adjectives ln 
the dictionary to describe Mr. Frederick Holman. 
He exhausted every threat that he could devise; 
long before eight o’clock he had wrought himself 
up to a rage that was frightful to witness. 
K was with a chuckle of satisfaction that Har¬ 
vey Frothlngham, secretly hidden In a narrow 
court way, watched a tall stately figure leave a 
carriage, at the head of Ralph street, and walk to 
the door of No. xs. 
In the quid oi the street he heard a clear voice 
ask the servant, who opened the door: 
“ Hoes Mrs Holman live here ?” 
“ Yes, ma'am second floor.” 
" Is her husband at home ?” 
“ oh, yes, ma’am; you'll llud them both there.” 
Then Mnud Chesterton entered the house, Just 
as a short, panting man flashed up the steps, and, 
not pausing to make inquiry, also entered. 
in the passage, Maude Chesterton, turning, as 
rapid steps followed her, faced James Rutherford. 
“ You here I" he sold. “ You have heard too. 
then, of the trick this ungrateful hound has played 
upon us?" 
“ I have heard,” she answered, ln a cold voice, 
“ that your nephew’s wife lives ln this house. I 
wish to ascertain If it la true.” 
“Wo will soon seel—wc will soon see! Second 
floor. Here wo are- Now, then 1” 
And the old gentleman’s raps proved the ex¬ 
citement under which lie was laboring. 
A very pale, sweet woman opened the door, her 
eyes showing that she had been weeping very re¬ 
cently. 
" Hoes Mrs. Holman live here?” the old gentle¬ 
man asked. 
“ That is my name, sir” 
“Can I see your husband ?” 
The soft eyes, full of deep trouble were lifted. 
" Is It, on business, sir?” 
“Very important business,” was the rather dry 
response. 
“Because the doctor said to-day he must not 
have any mental excitement. He is so very much 
worse to-day; 1—1 am afraid he is dying!” 
And sobs broke out again. 
"Dying!” 
Maude Chesterton reeled Inin the room, and sank 
dizzily upou a chair. 
James Rutherford, with a race white as death, 
said: “Dying! An accident ?” 
“No, sir; It Is a fever from over-work.” 
“ Fever—over-work I” 
“ Joaln—JosJel” 
It ever Fred Holman spoke, lie spoke t hen from 
an Inner room, and the little wife, seeming to for¬ 
get her strange visitors, answered, quickly: 
“ I'm coming, Fred.” 
She went, at once to the room from which the 
voice came, and again tlu; two. listening intently, 
heard Fred’s husky voice. 
“Bring the last cordial. Josle. Ten drops! 
am sure he knew me; but he Is faint.” 
A moment later the same cheery voice spoke 
again: “ Drink this, old reflow. So! See, here Is 
Josle I Don't you know Josle?” 
Then another voice—oh! so very faint 1—said: 
“Josle—little wife!” 
A moment of utter silence followed, and then 
Josle said: 
“ There Is a gentleman and lady ln the other 
room, Fred, who want to see Frank. M ill you see 
them?” 
And Fred, apja-aring In compliance with this re¬ 
quest, found hls uncle vigorously- fanning Maude 
Chesterton with a newspaper to bring her out of a 
fainting lit. 
Before he could frame a question, ills uncle said, 
quickly: 
“ Get me some water!” And lie obeyed. 
Then, os Maude’s blue eyes opened with a bewil¬ 
dered st are, the old gentleman continued: 
“ We were sent here to see your domestic felicity, 
and wc seem to be misinformed.” 
“ My domestic felicity l” cried Fred. 
“ Read that,” sold bis uncle, handing the anony¬ 
mous note. And Fred compiled. 
“Humph! yes,” he said. “Ho you came to see 
Mrs. Frederick Holman. Well, that lady has made 
me n happy manand his eyes flashed merrily 
upon Maude. “But 1 will Introduce you to my 
cousin’s wile, Mrs. Frank Holman. Maude," he 
continued, with agentle gravity, “since you have 
come here. It will be an act of Christian charity to 
remain, for”—and Ills voice sank very low—“we 
are utrald the poor little woman will be a widow 
before the morning.” 
“ Poor fellow!’’ said James Rutherford. “ What 
Is the trouble ?” 
"Over-work. He thought he could Increase hls 
small salary by tolling over line engravings ln the 
evening, and he broke down. I never knew of hls 
marriage till List, week, when he wrote me a pain¬ 
ful note, begging me to care for bis wire If he died. 
I came here at once, and was fort,unate enough to 
win jtoor little. Josle’s sisterly confidence and affec¬ 
tion. Maude, if the great trouble wn fear comes—’> 
“ 1 will be her true sister, Fred!” Interrupted 
Maude. 
Here was a deep silence of several minutes, then 
Josle, very pale still, crept softly into the room. 
“ no is asleep I" she whispered. “ The doctor 
said If he slept he would live 1” 
And when she broke Into hysterical weeping. 
Mmole Held her close ln loving arms, whispering 
that she must let her stay and comfort hor, for 
Fred’s sake. 
Nearly eleven o’clock came, and still Harvey 
Frothlngham waited, half-frozen, in the dark 
court,way, to see the discomfiture of hls rival. 
Then hls patience was reworded by seeing Fred 
and hls uncle come out of No. 2S, nrm-ln-arm, 
evidently the best or friends, and enter Mtss ches! 
terton’H carriage, and drive away. 
Not unutthe day of the wedding, when he saw 
Josle an honored guest, and was Introduced to Mr. 
Frank Holman, did Harvey Frothingham trader- 
and the slight mistake be had made. 
