The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1873-12-06

looking mp.
For moment Margaret hesitated, and
her companions quick eye detected the
strange expression which fitted across
her countenance T; but she recovered her
self-posSession almost Immediately as
she answered:
We were near neighbors and great
friends as children, but have not seen
him now for several years"
''Ah," said Charlie, "you would
scarcely know him again he is hau7-
some still b1lt a mere wrec.-- 81, hls
former self. He's not forgotten how to
shoot, though by George, his scores
are something already, Leicester, for
I've backed you for the que MS prize
against all the ladies I know Froment's S
whole stock couldn't clear me if you
lost. "
''Take my advice and hedge at once,
then" answered Ralph, laughing; then
lowering his voice he added
Miss Dene, will you wish me sue
cess ?"
With all my heart, Mr.. Leicester. s"
"I think l shall succeed, then" he
said, in his odd, cool way. ''DO you
know l can understand now how those
old knights used to perform such prod
igies of valor, inspired by their fair Ia
dy's scarf as a talisman? May I be
equally favored ?" and he laid a mean
ing hand on the rose at her side.
q fear the days of chivalry are over, 5"
answered Margaret but as she did not
attempt to repossess herself of the
flower, I think she was quite willing
he should prove its talsmatic powers.
"Not at all, fair lady; and when I
bring the trophy of victory to lay at
your feet, / shall expect the reward of
my prowess."
Margaret locked up, not quite know
ing how to take this speech, but, if she
read any serious meaning in his eyes,
the light laugh and low bow which ac-
companied the words seemed meant to
pass them off as a jest.
Leicester, - broke In Charlie again,
did Won say you knew Cecil Collins? ?"
ave were at Oxford together for a
short time. answered Ralph ''he came
up there about six months before l left
in time to DO me a service / hope /
/ shall mover forget. He saved my life,
! he added in answer to Margaret S
! quick look of inquiry. - was attack ed
I by a mad dog one day, huge creature,
/ when | had nothing but a slight cane III
my hand aud it would have been all
up with me. then and there, had not
/ Collins, a mere youth freshly arrived at
/ college, been passing at that moment.
! He rushed forward Just as the brute s
| teeth were about to grab my arm, and,
I seizipg its collar dragged it oil, holding
! it back by main force ttl sOmeUvy, y
/ from behind came up and gave It the
/ coup dc gr0cs. He Is a brave fellow,
/ whatever are his faults, and has made
, me his debtor TO no small amount
Poor Cecil ~ sighed Margaret tC
herself but Ralph caught the words,
/ and "a paug of jealousy came over him
as he thought that thereby hang tale
Perhaps ID was as we'll he could not
see the vision which rose before hls
companion's eyes just then; the vlslor
of a quaint old parsonage garden, Will
boy and girl standing there among
the roses and saying good-by-tO more
ah. how much more, than they them
selves knew he to so forth into tht
world and. fall from his high re
solves and noble ambitions into tn,
downward path, too fearfully easy K
travel along; and she to remain III he
uuiet home and dream Of an impOsSi
BE future. None knew what to he
had been the awakening from thos
dreams when the first faint rumor
which she strove to disbeleve. reached
her, and theu when later she knew be
vond a doubt that the idol she wOr
SHIPPED was of clay, all unfit for tn
shrine she had found 1t.
Hers was n self-contained nature
the wound had bled soreIy, hut no on
guessed its presence-Only her famil
were wont to remark, How quiet Man
garet has become - It was now com
plcteIy healed, how completely she ha
not realized till these last few days
I though the scar was still left, and wOul
not bear handling too roughly.
Perhaps all of this Will account fC
the fact of Margaret Dene being We
; unmarried Mt the advanced age of five
and-twenty: a fact which her friend
d were never tired of wondering at.
3 Before many minutes my heroine
: thoughts were recalled to the preseI
by the general breaking-up of the pa
y ty, and somehow the at reUOir Viii
u pered in her ear by earnest tones mad
her quite forget to revert again to sue
sad retrospections.
d Who's won ?" shouted a chorus
+ voices as, two days later, Charlie sau
, tered into his mothers drawing-rOOT
o " Please Charlie, do tell us quickly wi
IS won?"
o Who won what? Do be n lit
# quiet, girls; it's far too hot to exc
one's-self this weather. How dye d
is Margaret? I never saw you anythiI
d but cool in all my life; wish cou
say ditto for myself ;" and catching I
.' a fan, the young man threw himself /
IS to an easy chair with a great atfectatlC
l. of feeling overcome.
e Come, Chrales, don't be such
.e tease Who got the queens prize ! v
e are all dying to know.
4 "Much good may the knowing DO y
~ then," said Charlie. Cecil Coli
v has got it"
r Cecil Collins p and Margaret's voi
It this time joined the others. " WI
If you said Mr.. Leicester was sure of II
10 81 never said anything OF the KIN
= aud besides, if did, l don't pretend
/. the pope's infallibility." After VIII
. Charlie tried the effects of the veran
% and cigar on his ruffied feelings.
T So the rose did not answer after a
If thought Margaret, as she walked TO t
-. window TO ask what score Mr.. Lelcest
-o had made.
- Leicester never shot ut all, W
Charles gruff response.
-" Never shot at all! Why not ?
IN "That's Just what nobody know
ID The fellows are saying it looks awful
- Ion q u