WAS IT H, OR K? lovely woman! I certainly never saw a more charming picture; and you will admit that, in WARM, lazy, summer afternoon. A tall, my long apprenticeship to the sex, I have grown A Yanly looking fellow is stretch critical, and am by no means easily pleased. ed on the grass at the feet of a bright, pretty "The shoulders were turned away coquetwoman, who sometimes crochets, and sometimes tishly, as if to hide their lovely outlines, but the leaves off to watch the listless figure that does face looked back on me with an air of archnothing but pull apart the clover leaves. She ness that was captivating. The mouth was is only two years his senior, but his aunt, and delicate, but full of character; the eyes, which married; so she is not his lady love, but his met mine with the glimmer of a far-off smile in best woman friend, whom he loves dearly, and them, were large and very dark, contrasting trusts entirely. She has just returned from a strongly in color with the hair, which was light, three years' stay in Europe; so now they are and thrown off carelessly, in little waves, from trying to "talk up" this long intervening time a wide, low forehead, like a statue's. The whole that has separated them. face was that of a young, beautiful, spirited girl, already dangerous in her consciousness of womanly power,' 'John," she says, after there has been a long, quiet pause, "there's one thing you haven't spoken about. I've been studying your face ever since I came back. There's a pained, hard look often in it now that I am sure some woman put there. And, besides, here you are at thirty not married yet, though there's nothing earthly to prevent, and you've been a perfect devotee of the sex ever since you were a baby in petticoats! So, John dear, I know there is a romance you have never even mentioned to me.' And as she spoke she laid her little soft hand caressingly on his hair. "Ah, John!" whispers the aunt, coaxingly; "your description fascinates me. Will you not show me the picture some day?" "No," answers the young man, with a heavy sigh; "because I gave it back to her long ago. Well, you can fancy my amazement at thus coming into possession of such a picture, the original of which I had never seen in my life. As there was no note with it, I turned with keen curiosity to the wrapper, which I had hastily torn off without looking at. Alas! one half only was lying at my feet; the other had blown into the water, where I could just discern it now, a little brown speck, for which I would have given almost any thing. For on the half I held was written, in a stylish, feminine hand, Mr. John H-;' there the wrapper was torn across most provokingly; for, looking at it narrowly where the lower part of the H was torn, He turned his head, and met her loving glance with a softened look on his face; then he said, slowly, "Your woman's instinct has hit the mark, as usual, Kate. I think you love me, and there's no other woman in the world that does" (his mother was dead); "so I will tell you about it now, because I'm in the mood, and may never be again, and, besides, I trust you, Kate." And he took the little hand and kissed it rev-it looked almost as though it might be a K, after erently. Then, throwing himself back on the grass, leaning on his elbow-such a becoming attitude for a handsome man!-he began: "It isn't so much of a story, after all, dear, and it all hinges on just the being able to tell if a single letter were an H or a K. The one romance of my whole life was in it, though; and since it failed, why, all the real brightness of my youth has gone forever. Strange God should let such trifles, such insignificant mistakes, have power sometimes to wreck a whole life! Just after you went abroad, you know, I went to California on some professional business. The first day out, as I was standing on the deck, smoking, I put my hand into my pocket for my cigar-case, and pulled out instead a small parcel, which, on opening, I found to be a morocco miniature-case. This is queer,' I said to myself, 'but interesting!' Then I remembered that the night before, when I was busy packing-my room at the same time half full of fellows who had come in to say good-by -that a servant had brought me this package, just left at the door for me, he said. Thinking it was the new cigar-case I had ordered, I thought no more about it just then, but tucked it into my pocket, and had forgotten all about it till now. I opened eagerly the case, and there was a photograph, a vignette, of such a all. How I pored over that wretched capital! If it were an H, in spite of the mystery-making it all the more charming-it belonged to me; if it were a K, then some unlucky being had, through a blunder of somebody, lost a picture that must be worth the world to him. Finally, I decided that it must be an H; and feeling a presentiment that some romance for me was connected with it, I took the greatest care of it, wearing it always in my breast pocket, and spending many an idle moment in California in studying it. I had to be for many months among the mines, where I had not a single friend; and when I grew almost heart-sick with seeing only the hardened, coarse, even brutalized faces of the poor women one finds there, it was such a blessed relief to take out this picture, which carried me straight back to civilization and home, with its soft, refined features, and its sweet, pure eyes! Then one day, by a strange chance-Providence, I ought to say-it gained for me a new charm, since it saved my life. I was riding alone, one dark night, through a gloomy pass, when the well-aimed ball of some hidden desperado struck directly on my breast; but the case of the little picture, which was there, broke its force, and saved me. The photograph itself was not materially hurt either, though the case was split to pieces. After that over. WAS IT H, OR K? the feeling I had for it amounted almost to a I staid in California a year; superstition. then, my business being successfully accomOf plished, I returned home to New York. course there were many thoughts crowding into my mind as we steamed up the harbor the morning I arrived; but, laugh at me as you will, uppermost among them was the feeling, or presentiment, or whatever you choose to call it, that I was coming home to find the original of I wouldn't my picture, and so meet my fate. for the world, though, have confessed as much to any one, and I never showed the picture. Nevertheless, it is the truth that I took the most unheard-of pains to discover the fair unknown, and I never went any where without a I stared at every faint hope of seeing her. woman I met with light hair and dark eyes, hunted through photograph saloons, and always looked into every body's album-a thing that ordinarily I detest-but all my efforts were in vain; and finally I gave up the whole thing as a mystery it was useless to puzzle my brains But at last, one day—" "Ah!" exclaimed Kate; "now she's comI was beginning to grow iming, I know. patient for her." "Yes," he answered, with a smile at her "now she's coming, Kate, and earnestness; I was hurrying this was the way she came. home one afternoon in a sudden, blinding snowIn front of me storm that had just come up. were two young ladies rushing along under an umbrella, evidently overtaken, like me, by the tremendous storm. The wind was blowing their clothes about in the most unceremonious manner, evidently to their dismay-though one of them, I noticed, had the prettiest foot and - and beneath their closely ankle I ever sawtied blue veils they were laughing heartily as they tried to hold up their umbrella, and at the same time keep their footing on the icy sidewalk. I was watching them with much amusement and interest, especially the taller one, who was very graceful in spite of her difficulties, when a sudden gust of wind came sweeping round the corner, whirled the umbrella out of their hands, and brought them both down The short on the ice at my feet with a crash. one laughed and bounced up before I could help her, but the other reached out and took 'I my outstretched hand with a little moan. think I have sprained my ankle,' said she, in a soft, piteous voice. At that I lifted her gently with both my arms, and, as I did so, her friend exclaimed, joyfully, 'Oh, bless you, Mr. Haller! I'm so glad it's you!' and, to my surprise, it was my old friend, Mary Allyn, the jolliest, drollest creature, too." "Laura! are you kilt entirely? Oh dear, she can hardly stand! Mr. Haller, just hold her up long enough for me to introduce you to her-Miss Stanley. Now what are we to do?" "You don't mean to tell me," exclaimed Kate, with animation, "that it was Laura Stanley ?" "Yes," said the young man, quickly. "Why, do you know her?" "Only by reputation, before I went abroad, as a great beauty and a most fascinating woNo wonder you man. She had such a host of suitors! So it Now go on, for I am was her picture you had? were bewitched, John! "Well, fortunately, a carriage was passing. ten times more interested than ever." So I hailed it; and, taking the half-fainting girl in my arms, put her into it, and Mary and Just as we had seated ourI took her home. selves in it, I supporting her carefully one side, Mary tenderly holding up the poor little foot the other, her veil came off, and there, to my There were the utter bewilderment and delight, was the longsought original of my picture, her head actually resting on my shoulder! same wonderful dark eyes, the same light, wavy hair tossed back from the low, wide forehead, even the same brooch-an odd, foreign affair-at her throat! It was lucky for me that Otherwise I don't know what she would have Mary was entirely occupied with her friend. thought of my perfectly amazed and probably ludicrous expression as we drove slowly along. I am sure I couldn't have told whether I was in heaven or earth. She did utterly bewitch me that day, Kate, not only with her beauty, but her brave endurance of the pain-which, as soon as the faintness passed off, she made light of-and her naïve, sweet ways, the frankness with which she accepted my aid, and then the lovely blush with which she thanked me when, having carried her safely into her home, I left her. "Of course I went home in a state of ecstasy, sat up half the night poring over her picture, and dreaming glorious dreams of the future; and of course, the very next morning, I presented myself at the Allyn mansion, ostensibly to inquire after Mary's health and condition, really to find out every thing possible about Miss Stanley. Mary was overflowing in her expressions of gratitude, both for herself and her friend; and after informing me that the sprain had proved very slight, raised me to the seventh heaven by rehearsing the thousand and one complimentary things that she insisted Miss Stanley had said about me. I told her that, as I didn't believe a word she was saying, we would change the subject, and asked how it hap"She has lived in Philadelphia till lately; pened that I had never met her friend before. has been a great belle there; but her father, who is a lawyer, and not well off, has moved now with his family to New York.' "She is very beautiful, and will find no lack of admirers here too.' "Ah!' said Mary, quickly; 'but she is already engaged.' "Do you know, Kate, that when she said I don't think I showed that I honestly felt as though some one had suddenly stabbed me. "And who is the fortunate man?' it, though, in my face, and I said, quietly, "Mr. John Kuler, a Cuban on his mother's side-such a little, dark man! furiously jealous, they say, if she but smiles on any one else -and without an earthly attraction, that ever I could see, for a girl like Laura Stanley, unless it's his immense wealth, and his old family-one of the best in the city, you know.' "I had heard enough, as you may suppose, Kate, and walked home, calling myself a fool, and vowing never to look at, or care for her picture again. My little romance is over,' I said to myself, as I put the case carefully away. 'I might have known it would be so; so here's the end of it all for me. Ah, Kate dear, it would have been well for me if that had been the end of it. slippers. The table at which I sat was directly "In August, finding the city hot, and needing a rest from business, I went for my vacation to -never mind the name-one of the fashionable resorts that summer. You know the sort of place-a large hotel filled with gay people, wide piazzas running all round the house, delightful for promenades in the morning, dangerously fascinating for the same in the evening; romantic pine woods (with lovers' walks in them every where) close by, charming drives in all directions, capital opportunities for row-ing a welcoming glance or a reproachful 'Where ing and sailing on the lake. In short, if ever a place was designed by Nature for every sort of good times-specially flirtations-that was the place. However, I didn't feel like flirting." "For the first time in your life, then," suggests the aunt, quietly. have you been all the time?'-said time being perhaps from breakfast to dinner, when I had resolutely kept away, lest I should weary her. So, at last, we were almost inseparable. Oh, the long, merry walks we used to take in the fresh morning air, and the quiet, dreamy hours we spent sailing on the lake at sunset-she looking like a picture, in her broad straw hat and white dress, leaning over the side to dip her little hand in the water while she talked, and her cousin a plump little chit of seven, who always "Besides, there was really nobody worth one's while; all the first-class girls were dull and homely; all the pretty ones dreadfully second-class. So I kept by myself, and enjoyed nature outdoors rather than art in.” "Art,' meaning their complexions, I sup- went with us for propriety-lay curled up asleep pose," says Kate. 'Certainly; also their 'tricks and manners.' One evening, however, there was an unusual stir in the house at a party of arrivals; and, lounging into the office to look at the book after they had registered their names, I will acknowledge that my heart gave a thump when I read, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, and Miss Laura Stanley, of New York.' The next morning she appeared at breakfast, looking like a divinity, in the prettiest white morning dress. I took one rapid, sweeping glance, as she came in with a quiet, unembarrassed air, though there wasn't a woman in the room whose eyes were not taking her all in critically, and could find no fault in her, from the top of her head, where a coquettish blue bow fastened her lovely hair-” "Wonder where she bought it ?" asks Kate, wickedly. "Every spire of it was her own, madam. It all came down once when we were riding horseback together, and it looked like a mass of gold in the sunshine. I helped her put it up." "No doubt you did," says the aunt. "As I was saying," continued the young man, not deigning to notice the remark, "she was faultless down to the tips of her little bronze at her feet! Then there were sunny afternoons in the pine woods, when I read to her, and glorious moonlight nights on the piazza, when the mere enjoyment of being together in such beauty was full of romance, and a dangerous luxury. Every day I felt more and more that for me, and perhaps for her, it was growing too sweet-only a sin and a snare-and I would resolve to break the spell, and tear myself away; but I could not." "Did you never say a word about her picture?" "Not a word. An odd thing happened, though, that I must tell you. Her mother, one day, was showing me her album-a very fine one-when some one remarked that the photograph of Miss Laura was very poor. Ah!' said her mother, sighing; 'I wish you could have seen the one she had taken for Mr. Kuler once! It was superb! He never got it, though, poor man! for it was lost in the most mysterious manner.' "My heart beat guiltily under the picture, at that moment reposing in my breast pocket-you see it had resumed its old California place—and I will confess that I felt like a thief and a pickpocket; but I calmly scrutinized the photo WAS IT H, OR K? graphs, and asked, 'What could have become |ished so long, of the love I felt for her now. of it?' "We suppose the servant must have left it at the wrong house; but though Mr. Kuler made no end of inquiries and fuss, it was never found. She had another taken for him, but it was not half so good.' I am sure she must have seen from my face "I wonder what lucky wretch did get it?' ful headache!' said one of the gentlemen, laughing. "All the afternoon I was out rowing des "Some unprincipled scamp, probably,' said perately, making time such as I never did be I; and there the matter dropped.” 66 fore, while my brain was in a whirl. I was I dared to hope, "I declare!" said Kate, laughing; "I think sure she did not love this John Kuler whom You ought she had promised to marry. and I think she had given me every reason to you were a brazen-faced villain! Why should she At to have given it up on the spot.' "Not I," said the young man. "John Kuler hope, that she did love me. had one, and that was enough for him, since he keep her engagement, and be miserable? This was mine by right the first opportunity I resolved to lay myself at had the original too. of possession, and I was highly gratified to learn her feet, and run my chance of an acceptance Coming in late to tea, my eye glanced at that of the two I had the best, and I meant to-perhaps of a refusal, with a scathing rebuke. There sat Laura, exquikeep it." the Stanleys' table. sitely dressed, and brilliantly beautiful (though excited flush on her cheeks), talking and laughwith a little heaviness about her eyes, and an ing gayly with Mr. Kuler, who sat beside her. As Mary Allyn had said, he was a little, dark man, with a fiery eye and a Cuban face. looked up, and just nodded at me with an air of cool indifference that almost stunned me, making me feel all at once that I had been all Kate shook her head disapprovingly. "John, you are incorrigible. But tell me. Where was her lover all this time? And then the gossips, the tabbies-did they let you alone?" She "Her lover was in New York, I suppose, atAs for the gossipstending to his business. well, they were busy with us, that's a fact, but she cared not one whit for them. I think her mother used to remonstrate with her sometimes, too; but she was headstrong and willful, and as long as she was happy in the present-day only dreaming the wildest dreams. You and I know now that those were halcyon days for her as well as me-she would not face the future. All at once there came the end-as there always does come the end, I find, to every thing sweet in this life." And the sigh with which John spoke the words was long and deep. "We had just returned from a delightful walk, and were resting merrily on the piazza together, Laura fanning herself with her straw hat, when her little cousin ran to her with a letShe opened it, and glanced through it; then I saw a shade pass over her face, and she pressed her lips closely together, turning her face away, as if to conceal it. ter. see, Kate, she was so deep; like all you women, too, 'light as fair weather.' I could almost hate myself that, in spite of all, I could not help loving her. She had virtually brought me to her feet; she was sure of the power she had over me; she even acknowledged to herself my power over her; but for all that, now that her lover had come, a better parti than I, she had determined to go back to her allegiance, and to show me that I was to be nothing to her any more. "How that cool little nod angered me, and roused my pride! I resolved, as I quietly drank my tea, that now I would not go to-morrow, and "When she spoke again it was in a con- so beat an inglorious retreat before this victoristrained voice: 'Mr. Kuler comes this after-ous rival. All the evening I danced and flirtnoon; will remain till we go back to town. shall not be able to ride on horseback with you to-day, as I promised, Mr. Haller.' Ied mildly with a pretty young widow, who had "Was she glad or sorry that her lover was and talked little-he had a high, unpleasant "She rose to go in, then suddenly turned and gave me her hand-the softest, prettiest 'Don't go little hand in the world, I think. Will you?' I want you to stay. to-morrow. "What could I answer, Kate, with her face looking up so into mine, but that I would do "The next day Mrs. Stanley, a managing old any thing or every thing in the world that she asked me? Another minute, and I should have told her all-of her picture I had cher-woman, who had been distressed of late lest I for all the days of your life. Is it not so?' I answered, looking at her steadily. 'Why not free yourself, and then be good as well as happy with me always? You know I love you!' was interfering with her cherished plan, intro- "Miserable, not only for this evening, but duced me complacently to her future son-inlaw. I noticed, by-the-way, that he regarded me with no benignant expression; and I soon found-Kate, don't think me a conceited fool for saying so; it was the simple truth-that, barring his immense wealth and aristocratic family, he was a man I should have nothing to fear from as a rival in Laura Stanley's heart. Well-bred, but narrow-minded and opinionated, without one particle of originality or enthusiasm, given to long, pointless stories and the dreariest platitudes in conversation, just the man to weary utterly a quick, intellectual, brilliant girl like Laura Stanley. From my heart I began to pity her. I felt that she was dooming herself to a life of horrible ennui, or else one of reckless misery, perhaps of sin. "Hush!' she whispered, without raising her head; and I saw her very neck grow crimson beneath her hat. You must not say that to me now. It is too late. I have not the courage; I fear my father and my mother and the world. Besides, you do not know me. I am intensely ambitious and worldly, and wealth and position give power. He loves me too-andand after a while I dare say I may care for him. Promise me that you will leave me that you will never tempt me again. I am not so strong in myself as I believed. I can not bear it.' And her head sank still lower, and I saw her tears drop into the water. 66 "We had nothing but the most ordinary intercourse for several days; there was no chance for a tête-à-tête, and I sought none. I was There was a choking in my throat that prewretched, but I doubt if I was more so than vented my answering at once. She put up her she, in the mask of happiness she was forced hand hastily to her eyes with an impatient gescontinually to wear. Wednesday came--I had ture, as though angry with herself, and then made my plans to leave Friday, as Laura knew gave a sudden start and exclamation, looking -a sailing party was gotten up, the Stanleys at her finger. Her engagement ring (a magwere going, so was I. Perhaps she was des-nificent solitaire) was gone! Mr. Kuler, who perate, ennuyé with her lover; at any rate I had been busy collecting the Stanley shawls, saw that she had one of her reckless days on. sprang to her side at her scream of dismay, and When the party were assembling on the piazza there ensued a general scene of confusion, in it happened that I was a little late, and so was which every body was occupied in looking and she, and we met in the hall. It was a cool day; lamenting. But the ring (which must have she had on a short dress of bright navy blue,' slipped off her finger in the water) could not fitting her closely, and showing off her round, be found. Mr. Kuler looked darker than ever, lovely form to perfection, and a little black poor Laura pale and distressed—the loss of the sailor hat trimmed with blue set jauntily on ring giving her an apparent reason—and altoher light hair; nothing could have been nattier gether it was a dreary party that returned to or more becoming than her costume. I gave the house. For myself, I simply felt that love her a look expressive of my entire approval; and the romance of life for me were over. she answered it with a bright, coquettish laugh loved this woman profoundly—as I can never -how she loved admiration, that girl!-and a love any woman again. She had led me on to saucy Glad your lordship's pleased, I am sure.' declaring myself, and then had rejected meThen all at once her tone and expression changed not because she did not return my love, for I and grew grave. I think it was partly in her felt that in every nerve of her body, in every ever-varying moods and ways that her charm emotion of her soul, she did; but she was not lay-you never knew what she was going to say true enough to herself, not noble enough to or do next; and she said, in a low voice, re- give up the world for love. Now nothing reproachful and tender: mained for me but to go away and try and live this passion down, throwing myself heart and soul into my profession, and finding in that, if I could, a mistress, an absorbing occupation. “Why have you been so cruel to me? You have hardly spoken to me for days. Shall I save a place for you by me in the boat to-day, as I used to?' "Mr. Kuler scowled when, after helping the ladies aboard, I jumped lightly into the boat, on the other side of Laura. But I cared not for his scowls, neither apparently did she; so I held her parasol over her, and beneath its protecting shade we laughed and talked and enjoyed ourselves together in the old way, till the sail was over, and the boat was returning to the landing-place. "I have been so happy and so wicked all the afternoon,' she said to me, almost in a whisper, bending over the side and dipping her hand in the water as she spoke; and this evening I must be good-and miserable !'-this last in an almost inaudible voice, full of sadness. I "I was sitting in my room smoking while I mused gloomily of these things and looked at the little picture which had so strangely been bound up with my life, when I was startled by a hand on my shoulder, and, turning, saw Mr. Kuler, who was saying: "Mr. Haller must have been very deep in thought since he did not hear me, though I knocked twice. I' "Then he stopped short. I had closed the case quickly when I heard his voice, but not quickly enough, it seemed. His voice changed and his eyes grew dangerous. 'You are fortunate in being the possessor of a picture Miss Stanley told me was lost.' |