Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-12-26

she live through all those hours of dark
ness and cold !?

she live through all those hours of dark
ness and cold?
She looked up despairingly. The
scene was by no means reassuring. The
night had come on with pitiless cold.
The frosty snow-ight enabled her to see
down the deserted road. 1t was COM
pletely trackless. The icy flakes swept
in her face, and the long rush of the
wind sounded with mournful cadence
over the dreary fields and through the
leafess branches of the trees.
About an hour after Efie left MFR.
Grey's, there was ring at the door, and
Tom Allen came in the brightest,
pleasantest fellow in the village gen.
eral favorite-and Rose greeted him
cordially All these young people had
known each other from childhood, and
there were few secrets among them.
"Why, Tom, how are your What
brought you here on such a night as
this? know you did not come to see
me-" said Rose with a gay laugh.
"I-I came" replied Tom, with a
sudden blush, "to walk home with Effie,
if she is here"
"With Efie? Why, she left here an
hour agoI"
"What-alone2'
"No-with Mr.. Talbot, of course"
"But he has gone to New York"
'To New York;" Oh, no; you must
be mistakenl Why, he could not posi-
bly, have walked to Mrs. LaNrence's and
back in time.'
Tom Allen had grown pale while the
young lady spoke.
what you say? Mr.. Talbot has certainly
gone back to New York. 1 saw Efie
come in here early this afternoon, on
my way to the Office. On my return,
just now, heard that Mr.. Talbot had
rushed off to the city, all in a hurry,
and 1 thought 1 would come here on
the chance of finding Effe, and taking
her home"
"It is very strange" replied Rose.
at was almost dark when they went
away. What time did Mr.. Talbot go?"
"He took the o'clock express"
"And they left here just before 5.
1 asked Efie to stay all night, but she
refused.n
Tom was already putting on his coat
again.
"There is something strange in this"
he said. "Rose, am going to Mrs. Law
rence's at once. That man could not
have left her alone in this storm. Could
She"
"Could she, what?" ask Rose, looking
at him in alarm. Then she cried, sud-
denly: "Oh, Toni you don't mean to
think she has gone with him?"
"I don't know what 1 think" he
answered. !sI only know that shall be
wretched till find out what it means.
1 must go at once" Then, in answer to
her appealing look: ayes; will let you
know what find out;' and he hurried
from the house.
Aliens rapid strides brought him, in
spite of the storm, to Mrs. Lawrence's
cottage in a wonderfully short time.
His summons at the door met with quick
response, the lady opening it for him
herself.
"Ah, Tom, am glad to see YOU"
Then, peering out into the storm: "But
where is Efie?"
'Efie is not with me-" replied Tom,
coming into the house, and following
Mrs. Lawrence to the cozy sitting
room.
"That is very strange" said Mrs. Law
renee. "Then suppose she will stay at
the Greys' all night, but I did not ex-
pect@"
'tShe is not at the Greys'," Allen an
swered.
And now, as Mrs. Lawrence looked at
him; she was struck with the strange ex-
preston of his face. HIS worst fears
had been corroborated by not finding
Effie at home; End the anguish of his
heart could not but look out of his
eyes.
"What is it, Tom2" asked Mrs. Law
renee, anxiously. "Where is Eme?"
81 do not knowl She left Mr.. Grey's
about O'Clock, with Mr.. Talbot"
"And you did not pass them on the
way2n
Then with an effort:
"Mr. Talbot has gone to New York"
Mrs. Lawrence looked at him keenly.
"You do not mean that you think
Effie went with him?" she said, very
| slowly.
Mrs. Lawrence, 1 don't know what to
think?" groaned Allen. Effie is moi
| here-she is gone? Where is she?"
"Not with him, Tom, l am sure oi
| that-not with him ~ cried the lady
| eagerly. "She has stopped at some
| neighbor's, or returned to he Greys'
! No, no, Tom, it cannot be that she woulc
| leave me sol
Then, in moment, she said, almos
wildly:
| " gu must unO ner, OH. one CdfeS
for you she did not like him. Their
is some strange mystery but, oh m.
darling girl would not desert us 81
cruelty I"
Allen was half convinced by her en-
~ will do my best to find out abou
it, at once" he said. If she is still il
this neighborhood, 1 will discover her
if she has really gone with him, som
one must know it."
There followed brief and earnes
consultation, Mrs. Lawrence suggestin
such places as Effie might possibly hav
gone to, and then once more Tom wen
on his way, this time armed with lar
tern.
Out into the night again, the red glo'
of the lamp casting strange CLEANS acros
the snow, and lighting up the flakes fc
moment, as they passed across il
radiance.
He had plunged on with fiery cage
ness, for some half mile, when fair
sound caught his ear, like the distar
echo of his own name.
"Tom Tom
, He paused moment. Was it a fancy
No; it came again, muff1ed, but loude
| "Toml Toni Tom Help me hel
me, Tom ~
, IL Lao,, tho voioa ,,o1U apd criad on