CHAPTER XXXV.

AN UNSEEN BATTLEFIELD.

Richard had fought a battle that night of which the poets and preachers speakthe battle.of the soul, but in which there is no poetry nor music of the voice.

He was disgusted with himself. He was a villain. He had been received into this home and given its confidence. Its money had been entrusted to his work. Now he had violated every sense of honor and had said what could not be taken back. He would be ashamed to meet Ethel and Mr. and Mrs. Warren again.

They were people of a different world than that which he had chosen.

It was selfish for him to wish to ruin her life by burying it in his work.

"What would not the love of such a woman do for a man?" he thought to himself. "It would awaken every best emotion in him. It would enrich his experiences and power. It would do everything. Would not he be a larger man than he would to give up all

this and be buried in the squalor and vice of the poor?"

The manager of a leading paper in the city, whom he had known in college, had said to him one day, "Harrison, I wish I had a man like you to edit our paper. You would soon learn the ropes. It would open a great future for you." At the time he had thought little of it, but now it came back with force. The last time he met his friend, he mentioned the matter to Richard again. "Could I not do as much good there as here and then I would have the means and be in the circle in which Ethel moves.'

By morning he had conquered himself. He must go on with his work. He would write asking her to forget what he had said.

He could not trust himself to talk with her about it. He might say something that would only make the matter worse.

He hurriedly penned this note and sent it by a messenger boy:

I ought to come and ask your pardon for what I said last night, but I do not dare to trust myself to talk with you about it. I love you. When I read the account of

your accident, it came over me all at once, that if you should die, the light would go out of my life. I resolved that you should never know it, but you know how wretchedly I failed to keep my purpose.

I have broken honor with your father and mother, who have welcomed me to their home and trusted me with their gifts. I have been selfish in even thinking that one of your surroundings should bury herself, simply to cheer me. You despise me. How can I ever face you and your dear father and mother?

I, after all, have done you no injury. I have only revealed my weakness, and pray you to forget my words that could not mean anything to one of your position, and still let me be your friend.

RICHARD HARRISON.

He hardly knew whether she would answer it or not. Probably she will say nothing, as the best way out of what has been to her a disagreeable incident.

In the afternoon Richard saw Mr. Warren's team drive up before the mission and Mr. Warren get out.

"How can I meet this friend? Ethel has told him and he has come down to express his indignation."

Mr. Warren met him, as if nothing had happened, and asked several questions about the work on the new building. They talked over these interests for some time and when they were through Mr. Warren said, "By the way I have a note for you from Ethel. I think they want you to come up to supper, or something like that, and after I have done an errand I will drive back and get you."

When Richard was alone, he tore open the envelope. His hand shook. He read:

Dear Mr. Harrison:

Any woman may consider the love of a true man a sacred thing. Life should seem grander and nobler to her ever after. You have not broken honor with our household. We want you to take tea with us.

Sincerely your friend,

ETHEL WARREN.

He was mystified even more. He could not understand the tone of the note, digni

fied, yet cordial. "Can it be? No! No! It is impossible that she should love me. It is only her womanly way of smoothing matters over deftly. I must do my part."

An hour later Mr. Warren returned for him. They drove out through the avenues whose trees were shaking off the showers of leaves. Mr. Warren was interested in some new developments of the good citizenship movement and told Richard about it.

When they reached his home, Mr. Warren said, "You know the way in. Just make yourself at home. I must step to the barn a moment."

Richard felt like a culprit going to be judged. If only the would give a world.

meeting was over, he He rang the bell and the servant let him in. He stepped into the parlor to wait until some one appeared.

It was only a moment when Ethel came through the curtains and stood before him. Something in her eyes told him what he had not hoped to hear.

"Is it possible-?" then he stopped and could not finish the sentence.

"Yes." This time her voice spoke with her eyes.