The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-03-29

oii 1he point OF starting young lady touch
ed his arm timidly. He looked up, and in
stantly his face flushed scarlet
" Mr.. Lindsey, pray pardon me, but am
alone, and I suppose you ar4 going to Grant
ley - said a soft, heaitating voice.
Alfred arose hastily, and amid little
confusion on both sides-more than there
was any apparent cause for-Miss Annie
Morrison was seated beside him,
81 was so pleased when saw you,'' she
said-the faintest bit of an accent on the
you for I'm a perfect coward about
riding alone at night. l missed the other
train, and if had not feared mother would
be alarmed about me, should not have come
tonight at all. am so glad now that didn'
And she settled herself costly down bpside
Lindsey, who most cordially echoed the last
sentence.
Ever since Alfred Lindsey, could remem-
Der, Annie Morrison had been the most
beautiful and wonderful of creatures to his
fancy. He had never touched her hand,
or sat beside her, before-he had never ex-
pected so much happiness-and it is no
marvel that the moments flew, and all the
trouble and perplexity of the day were for
gotten in the sweet delirium of the mo
ment.
81 read something in the Hartford pa
pers about you,'' she said, just before they
reached Grantley. "Father said a year
ago that Mr.. Sherwood ought to take you
into the firm. He didn't know it when he
went away"
"Your father gone away " Lindsey ex-
claimed, so suddenly that she gave %
quick start, laying her hand on his arm.
go Alfred, how you startled me r' she
said, Withdrawing it with vivid blush
"Pray pardon me-" he stammered be
tween two contending emotions, of joy and
alarm. 81 had not heard your father was
away-when did he go.?"
"Yesterday morning. Iwent as far as
Hartford with him. He has gone out TO
Uncle Charles in Pennsylvania"
terrible crushing sensation almost took
his breath away-how came Robert Sher-
wood by that check?
A moments reflection, however served
to allay the fearful suspicion that had
forced itself upon him. Knowing of the
impending emergency, he had doubtless
procured it several days before but, in
spite Of this reasoning, he felt uneasy, and
the strange illness of Mr.. Sherwood, and
Roberts subsequent unusual behaviour
the anxiety to get him out of the way,
the locked door. the rustic of papeI.-all
combined to fill him with vague sense
of apprehension. Even Miss Annie Nor
rison's sweet face was for the moment
quite forgotten in the fever of emotion.
"Grantley!" called the conductor put
ting his head in at the door.
| Lindsey sprang up nervously, then COL
ored suddenly as he caught the slightly
surprised look in Miss NIorrison's face
She followed him out without speaking.
The carriage was waiting forher, and Lind
sey went with her, and though there was
no particular need, as the coachman was
waiting, handed her in and heard her low
goodnight, Alfred,' with a vague i'm
preston that is was only beautiful
dream-he had heard that voice so often in
| dreams.
Mr. Sherwood still remained ill-at least
he was not seen out. Three days has
passed-three of evident anxiety and eN-
pectancy on the part of young Sherwood,
who now remained almost constantly in
the store, watching the mails with feverish
eagerness. The morning of the fourth day
Lindsey noticed among the letters one with
the peculiar scrawling hand he had remark
ed before-the one had such remarkable
effect on Mr.. Sherwood He observed that
Robert grew a trife pale when he saw il,
and that his hands trembled when he tore
open the envelop, but he was not prepared
for the bitter groan that burst from his
white lips as they syllabled the one word,
"ruinedp'
| tyr