At the elegant family mansion on Boston\'s most aristocratic avenue, Jesse Devereaux, watching by the bedside of his sick father, waited with burning impatience for the answer to the letter in which he had poured out the overwhelming tenderness of his soul.

No shadow of doubt clouded his love, he felt so sure of Liane\'s love in return. Had it not trembled in her voice, gleamed in her eyes, and blushed on her cheeks?

Oh, they would be so happy together, he and his young bride, Liane! He would make up to her for all the poverty and sorrow of her past life. Life should be flower-strewn and love-sweet for her now.

Of course he expected some opposition from Lyde, his proud, fashionable sister, when she learned that he was off with his engagement to the heiress, Miss Clarke, and meant to wed a poor girl, who worked for her living. But he meant to stand firm, and when she saw how sweet and[Pg 160] beautiful Liane was, she would be ready to excuse him and accept his darling for a sister.

In these rosy daydreams the hours flew, and on the second day after posting his letter he received a reply.

It gave him something of an unpleasant shock when he held the square blue envelope in his hand and read the ill-written address:

MISTER JESS DEVEROW,
No. — Comonwelt Avnoo,
Bostin,
Mass.

His cheek flushed, and he sighed.

"Poor girl, of course she has had no opportunities of education, but she can have private teachers, and soon remedy all that."

And he opened the letter with the eagerness of a lover, despite the slight damper on his spirits, caused by his love\'s bad chirography, united to even worse orthography.

His eager eyes traveled quickly over the small sheet with the awkward sentences of one little used to epistolary work.

    Stonecliff, the 17 Sept.

    Deer Mister Devrow: Deer me, what a s\'hpise your letter wuz! I thought you wuz jest flirtin\' with me! I had heerd what a flirt you wuz, so I jest tryed my hand[Pg 161] on you! They told me you wuz ingage to the beautiful Miss Clarke, and I thought what fun to cut her out!

    But I didn\'t think I could do it. I didn\' know as I was so pretty till I tuk the beauty prize that nite. Deer me, how glad I wuz of that money! I\'m a grate heiress now, like Miss Clarke, ain\'t I?

    I\'m much obleedge fur your offer to marry, but I can\'t see my way clear to accept, being as I don\'t love you well enuff. I never did admire these dark men with sassy, black eyes and dark hair. I\'ve heern tell they are as jealous as a turk. I make bold to say, I think Mr. Deen is the style I most admire—deep blue eyes and brown curls. He seems to have took a fancy to me, too, and if he should ast me the question you did, I know I could say yes. Forgive if this pains, but it\'s best to be frank, so you won\'t go on loving me in vane.

    I\'m grateful to you for your vote that helped to git me that hundred dollars! I\'m goin\' down to Bostin to see the sites, and buy me a red silk gown, I always wuz crazy for one!

    Truly yours,
    Liane Lester.

Devereaux sat like one dazed, going over and over the letter of rejection. He could hardly realize that Liane\'s little hand had penned those words.

No more cruel blow at a strong man\'s love and pride had ever been dealt than that letter, showing the writer to be possessed of so shallow a nature as to be incapable of appreciating the treasure of a true heart\'s love, so ungratefully thrown away.

[Pg 162]

Jesse Devereaux thrust it away from him at last, and sat staring blankly before him with heavy eyes, like one contemplating the ruins of his dearest hope.

It seemed to him as if he had just laid some dearly loved one in the grave. Hours and days of sorrow seemed to pass over him as he sat there brooding darkly over his fate.

Was it indeed but an hour ago he had felt so hopeful and glad, telling himself he had just found the sweetest joy of life in the dawn of love?

What foolish thoughts, what a misplaced love, what rash confidence in an innocent face and demure, pansy-blue eyes!

She had just been flirting with him because she heard he was a great flirt, and was engaged to Miss Clarke, and she wanted to see if she could "cut her out." It was all heartless............