The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-04-03
at is my ARM" groaned Julia, 7 can

at is my ARM" groaned Julia, I can
not move it.n
'Thank heaven ~ exclaimed Aurora.
Il did not mean to do anything more
than wing you; | should have been mis-
cradle if had really injured YOU
'And are you not hit ~
/ NO; but you came very near doing
for me. My hat was blown off my head ;
| half an inch lower and | should have
been gone"
81 am glad did moi kill you, " moaned
Julia. "But Aurora, | am sorry you
did not kill me- for now you will triumph
in everything"
Not bit of it," laughed Aurora.
Let me help you up-yOu will be all
right in a day or two, and we shall be
friends yet"
"No, no." groaned Julia; 'Ieave me
here todie, and YOU 90 to be happy with
Charlie"
"With Charlie!, repeated Aurora
this time laughing out. "Why my dear
girl, don't want him any more than he
wants me. lam engaged TO Hugh Wal
lace"
"You are Oh, forgive me, Aurora. ("
cried Julia, with glad happy light in
her face. ''Why did you not tell me,
and save all this folly?',
Il would If you had not been 50 insult
ing there, Julia. | don't want TO talk
OF it, but you know you were rather hard
on me-
Yes, yes, it was all my FAULT re-
piled Julia. But you would forgive
me if you knew how | had suffered"
"Well, well, it is all over now, and
you must let me help you home.r
But just at this moment, two new ac-
tors appeared on the scene; Charlie
Walton and Hugh Wallace dashed
through the grove.
"Here they are ~ cried Hugh as he
came plunging to the spot where the
two girls were. Charlie followed close
behind, and came up to see the
strange group-Julia lyingOn the ground
very white, Aurora kneeling beside her
In an instant all his bright smiles were
gone, and he was down beside the
wounded girl.
Julia, my darling my darling
what has happenedN'
At these tender words. Julia turned
her large black eyes on Charlie with q
look of unspeakable affection, and suf-
fered him INCREASINGLY to clasp her in
his arms.
1--WE have been fighting duel, - said
Aurora, as she arose to her feet, land
believe | am the victOr.r
- duel - exclaimed Charlie in blank
amazement.
Yes, sir-a duel for you, and as l am
the successful one, you ought of rights,
to belong 10 me.
Charlie clasped Julia tighter, with a
look Of bewildered horror, that made
Aurora break out with a ringing laugh.
You need not look 50 alarmed, - she
said. II don't want YOU ] am but a
wild prairie girl, and l had rather have
prairie hunter for my mate,N and she
put her hand in Hugh's with a proud
smile; but for YOU, YOU are a city man,
and need a eity-bred wife You will
never find a truer, or fairer, or better
one than she whom you have won this
day, and who has risked her life for your
love-
There Is little need TO relate all the
particulars of the rest of the story. A
few words of explanation, and il is done
1t seems that when Hugh returned for
Aurora, she was not at home, her strange
absence, which her mother could not
explain, made him uneasy, and he went
oft in search of her, where he encOun-
tered Charlie employed in trying tO.find
Julia. The two Joined their energies.
Will Il vague Ill-ElNln2 llaJ LneE might
be together. \ few enquiries established
the truth of this supposition, and dis
covered the direction in which they
We're walking, when last seen together,
and the sound of the rifle shots quick
ened their speed when they reached the
wood, and led them TO the scene of the
duel
Julia was so happy in her secure love,
and 20 grateful to Aurora. that she took
all the blame of the strange affair on
herself. The wound proved very
slight one, from which she recovered,
by the help of DIR. Nichols care and
Charles devotion, in a very short time,
and nothing would satisfy her, but that |
her own wedding and AurOra's should /
take place on the same day.
This double marriage was the most |
splendid affair that had ever been seen |
in ROcktown. And to this day. the /
of the two brides, the mag /
niticence of the presents Charlie had /
sent on from Now York, and the gaiety /
of the grand ball afterwards, form the /
sequel to every recital ofthe romance Of !
the Prairie Girls Duel.