He suppressed a sniffle, and then, after a
moment consumed in re-ordering his emotions, went on brightly: "Of
course, if she loves him, Melissa, I shall be the first to wish him
joy. That's the kind of fellow I am."
"I wonder," mused Melissa, "if that's the kind of a fellow he'd be if
some other fellow won his lady love away from him in a fair contest?"
It so happened that Mr. Flanders placed a diamond-ring upon the third
finger of Miss Fairweather's left hand that same afternoon, and it
also happened that the starry-eyed young lady submitted to a tender
embrace immediately afterward. But a fortnight passed before
Frederick, pale and wan with the anguish that lay in his young soul,
could command the courage to go up to his big rival and wish him joy.
For two weeks his heart had bled, for, be it also recorded, young
Frederick happened to be lurking unseen in the library when the ring
was passed. He saw the big man take the slim, adored princess in his
arms, and he saw her face upturned to greet the lips that came down to
meet her's in--Alas! Poor Frederick!
Right bravely he accosted Mr.
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