Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-04-13
The Betrolkal.
(GoncMded.l

Frances said she should like
y very much; the scheme would afor
p p them great deal Of amusement, an
any expedient was preferable togoin
e back to Dunbar House. Neither, a
: regarded themselves, was it at Al
e difficult of execution, since they al
ways addressed her as Fanny 3
Frances; the danger was with th
: serYants, who, however cautioned t,
call the visitor by no other nam,
than Miss Fanny, might inadvertent
g " |be!ray the secret. Still, if they
did, a few bushes and "A hearty langt
; wcfe likely TO be the only conseqden
ees. Of the disclosure; so the little
plot was duly framed, and successful
H " executed; Major Elliott not en-
tertaining the most remote sus picion
that this beautiful, fascinating Fan
4y Gaskoin was his own ,fancec.
Whether they might have fallen
ih love with each other bad they met
4 dnder more prosaic circumstances,
there is no saying. AS it was, they.
|did. SO almost at first sight. IT is
Ineedless to say Iht Maj. Elliott ex-
IItqnded lis visit beyond The day or
tive lie had engaged for; and when
NJ ,r,1 Mr. G,rl- ~ cn,, bo,,, ,,,o4
tcrs were going, they recommended
an immediate avowal of the little de-
ception that had been7practised, lest
some III timed visitor Should inoppor-
tunely let out the secret, Which had
already been endangered more than
once by tie forgetfulness Of the SER
waits; bnt Frances wished to pro-
long them diversion till she Should
|liud some happy moment for the de-
aouameui;; added 10 which, she had
an extreme curiosity TO know how
Maj. Elliott intended to release him
self from the engagement formed by
Col Seymour, in which he bad taclt
~, if not avowedly, acquiesced. 1t
was certainly very flattering that her
charms had proved sufficiently pow
elful to make him forget+it; but that [
fe should have yielded to the tempt I
atiqn without the slightest appear
.,.l,.e T. = 81 ,,,rr,, al lia soluoauhn IA ct1,-
Prise her, rs, indeed, from their
knowledge OF his character, it did
MIR. aud Mrs. Gaskoin+ Not that
they would have expected him to
adhere 10 the contract; if doing so
Proved repugnant either TO Himself
Of the young lady; but under all the
circumstances Of the case, they would
have thought his conduct less open
to exception, if be had deferred en-
iering into another engagement till
he had seen Miss Seymour. 1t was
true. tFHt he had not yet offered his
hand to bis friend Gaskoin's charm
ing niece; but neither she; nor any
one else, entertained a doubt Of his
toE do ! %; and Frances new
er found herself alone with him, that
her heart did.not beat high with the
Of what might be com
ing.
THO rronraec IF Iope afrAirs ic no
measure Of time; where tn 3 attrait,
or magnet rapport (for, perhaps,
lnag gnetism has something to do with
the mystery,) is very strong, one
couple will maj Ike as much way in a
fortnight as anq qther will do in a year
Intbe present instance, Maj Elliott's
procliyity TO. GHll in love with Fran :
,es may have been aided by his per-
suasion that SHE was the niece of his
iiiead. Be that as it may, on the
.hir Eeenth day Of his visit, Maj Ell
ioit invited bis host to join him in
galk, in the course of which he
vowed his intention of offering his
lana to Miss Gaskoin, provided her S
amIly we're. not likely to make any
serious objection to the match. "My }
,eason for mentioning the subject so !
sally,' said he, SIS that in the first
,lace, ! cannot prolong my visit' !
nave already broken two engage )
nents, and now, however unwilling
v, | must be off; and, in the second
1lace, l felt myself bound to men
ionthe subject to you before speak q
no 10 Miss Gaskoin, because you :
saow how I am situated in regard to- |
money Alters; anf that | cannot,
Unfortunately, mike such settle !
neut as may be expected oy hef
fiends.
Il don't think that win be any !
obstacle 10 your wishes, answered