Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-03

ry, she has never seen you. How do you know
that she might not have fallen in love with you
at first sight ?-as somebody else did" she ad-
ded, piayfully.
Because, my dear little girl, she happefs
to be in love already. She did not wait to see
me, but wisely gave away her heart when she
met man that pleased her."
But you're mistaken" answered Frances,
beginning to feel alarmed you are indeed
know Frances Seymour has no attachment
know that till she saw you'll mean that
am certain that she has no attachment, nor
ever had any,
Perhaps you are not altogether in her con-
idence"
"Oh, yes I am indeed"
Major Elliott shook his head, and smiled
significantly Rely on it" he said, "that
what tell you is the fact but you have pro-
badly not seen Miss Seymour very lately, which
would sufficiently account for your ignorance
of her secret am told that she is extremely
handsome and charming and that she sings
divinely'
Five minutes earlier, Frances would have
been delighted with this testimony to her at
fractions and would have been ready with a
repartee about the loss he would sustain in re-
linquishing so many projections for her sake :;
but now her heart was growing faint with ter
ror, and her tongue Glove to the roof of her
mouth. Thoughts that would fll pages darted
through her brain like lightning dreadful pos
sibiities, that she had never foreseen nor
thought Of
Vincent Dunbar's regiment had been in In
dia /; she knew it was one Of the serenties but
she had either never heard the exact number,
or she had sufficiently attended to the subject
to know which it was Major Elliott's reg-
ment had also been in India and it was the
18th. Suppose it were the same, and that
the two officers were acquainted-and suppose
they had met since Vincent's depar ture from
Dunbar House The young man had occa-
SionalIy spoken to her of his brother officers :;
she remembered Poole, and Wainwright, and
Carter and name Of Elliott he had certainly
not mentioned bat it was naturally of his
own frinds and companions he spoke, not of
the feld-officers. Then. when She told him
that had been betrothed by her father she
had not said to whom but might he not, by
some unucky chance, have found that ont
And might not an explanation have ensued !
Could Major Elliott have distinctly discov-
cred the expression of her features, he would
have seen that il was something more than
perplexity that kept her silent but the light
fell obscnrely on the seat they coupled and he
suspected lothing but that she was puzzled
and surprised
see you are very curious to learn the Sc
cret," he said: and if my cwni you shoHld not
piue in ignorance, | assure you but as it is a
Young lady's, | am bound to keep it till she
chooses to disclose it herself However,
hope your curiosity win soon be satisfied. for
| have ascertained that Mr. and Mrs Went
worth are both TO be in England almost imme-
diately-they have been some time on the con-
tinent-and then we shall come TO a general
understanding. In the meantime, my dearest
! Fanny-'
| But Frances, unable longer to control her
agitation, took advantage of slight noise in
the hall; to say that Mr. and Mrs Gaskoin
were coming aud before he had time to finish
| ed out of the room
| On the other side of the hall was Mrs. Gas
| koin'S boudoir, where she and her husband
were sitting over the fire, awaiting the result
Of the tets-a-tste in the drawing room
Well !" said they, rising as the door open
ed and pale face looked in. " Is it all set
| tied p
Ask me nothing row, beseech you "
said Frances, 50 I'm going to my room tell
! Major Elliott | am not well say I'm agita-
! ted-anythiug you ike bat remember he
still thinks me Fanny GaskGin-"
"a But my dear girl, cannot permit that de-
ception to be carried any further it has last
ed too long already said Mr Gaskoin
Only to night = said Frances
1t is not fair to Major Elliott urged
! Mrs GaskCin
! OnIy to night T. reiterated Frances
There he's coming hear his step in
/ tie hall Let me ont this waTj- aud 50 say
| ing. she darted cut of door that led to the
! backstairs, and disappeared.
She has refused him :" said Mrs GaSkoin
! confess am amazed
/ But Major Elliott met them with smiling
| face - What has become OF Frances r said
he
! Z" She rushed in 70 us in a state Of violent
/ agitation. and begged we would tell yoa that
she is not well, aud is gone to her room. I'm
afraid the result of gour interview has not been
what are expected
! " On the coatrarr.- returned Mai Elliott
( vou must both congratulate rze CC nv good
/ fortune " Silly girl !7 said Mr.. GaSkoin.
shaking MS friend heartily by the hand '' |
see what it is she IS nervous abcct E.:le
deception we hare hcsn pTacticins on yoa-7
e A deception =
Why, you see my dear fellow, when
told Frances that yC7 we've coming mere, sue
objected 70 meeting yoa--7
Indeed On what account 2
- Yoa have HeveF suspected anything =
said Mr.. Gaskoin, sc4Eceiy rePvesssr; mis- laugh
ter
Suspected anything No
{" II has never by chance occurred to Eoa tia;
this bewitchiHg neice Of mine is-@
Is what E
Your b@tEothesl haiy. .or example Fran