The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-12-25

out of the question. As Effie reali1
!, ed this, her courage fairly gave way
o She drew herself. little back. int
y the corner of the wall, wrapped he
? cloak over her, and hid her face dow
: in her muff, sobbing bitterly. Sh
" was well punished for her thought
/ less coquetry. She had made Ton
miserable; perhaps lost him forever
and for what? Only to be insultec
, and deserted by this wretched, con
ceited fop. His conduct had beer
: unmanly, first in insulting her as he
had done; next, in leaving her, under
any circumstances, to go home alone
in the night and storm. Tom would
not have done sol No, no matter
} what she might have said to him, he
would not have left her thus. And
now there was no telling what might
happen her The road leading to her
cottage home was very lonely-very
little used. There was scarcely any
chance of any ones coming along to-
night; and how could she live through
all those hours of darkness and cold!
she looked around despairingly.
The scene was by ynomeans reassuring.
The night had come on with pitiless
cold. The frosty snow-ight enabled
her to see down the deserted road
1t was completely 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 branch
es OF the trees.
About an hour after Effie left Mr..
Greys there was a ring at the door,
and Tom Allen came in, the brightest,
pleasantest fellow in the village-a
general favorite-and Rose greeted
him cordially. All these young peo-
pie had known each other from child
hood, and there were few secrets
among them.
''Why, Tom, how are you? What
brought you here on such a night as
this? I know you did not come to
see me, said Rose with a gay laugh.
'I-I came" replied Tom, with
sudden blush, ''to walk home with
Efie, if she is here"
"With Effe? Why, she left here
an hour ago!"
"What-alone?"
'No--with Mr.. Talbot, of course"
'But he has gone to New York
'To New York? Oh, no; you
must be mistaken! Why, he could
not possibly have walked to Mrs.
Lawrence's and back in time"
Tom Allen had grown pale while
the young lady spoke.
'Rose," he said, "are you sure of
what you say? Mr.. Talbot has GER
tainly gone back to New York. I
saw Effie come in here early this af-
ternoon, on my way to the Office. On
my return, just now, 1 heard that
Mr.. Talbot had rushed off to the city,
all in hurry, and I thought would
come here on the chance of finding
Effie, and taking her home"
at is very strange" replied Rose.
''It was almost dark when they went
away. What time did Mr.. Talbot go?"
''lfe took the o'clock Express"
''And they left here just before 5.
I asked Efie to stay all night, but
she refused"
Tom was already putting on his
coat again.
'gThere is something strange in
this, he said. "Rose, I am going to
Mrs Lawrence's at once. That man
could not have left her alone in this
storm. Could She"
''Could she-what7" asked Rose,
looking at him in alarm. Then she
cried, suddenly: ''Oh, Tom! you don't
mean to think she has gone with
him?"
81 don't know what 1 think" he
answered. Il only know that shall
be wretched till 1 find out what it
means. I must go at once" Then,
in answer to her appealing look:
eyes; I will let you know what I find
out" and he hurried from the house.
Aliens rapid strides brought him,
in spite of the storm, to Mrs. Law
rence's cottage in wonderfully short
time. His summons at the door met
with quick response, the lady open
ing it for him herself.
"Ah, Tom, I am glad to see you.
Then, peering out into the storm: "But
where is Effie?"
"Effie is not with me-" replied
Tom, coming into the house, and fol
lowing Mrs. Lawrence to the cozy
) sitting room.
"That is very strange" said Mrs
Lawrence, "Then I suppose she vii
stay at the Greys' all night, but 1 die
not expect
"She is not at the Greys'," Aller
answered.
And now, as Mrs. Lawrence look
} ed at him, she was struck with tht
, strange expression of bis face. Hi
2 worst fears had been corroboratec
: by not finding Effie at home; and tn
e anguish of his heart could not bu
e look out of his eyes.
r "What is it, Tom?" asked Mrs Law
renee, anxiously. "Where is Effie?"
i Il do not know! She left MI
e Greys about 5 o'clock, with Mr.. Ia
S bot"
r "And YOU did not pass them O