The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-07-14

Those words broke the spell-Nellie
snatched away the hands which he had
been holding, looked into his face with
frightened gaze, striving in vain to speak.
"Nellie, Nellie, what ails youP You
are not angry-you do love me-say that
this does not come from the thought of
being my WIFE"
She dropped her head upon the rustic
bench, and hid her face with burst Of low
weeping ",..
al can't, CAN'T" she moaued; "oh,
Robert, am married already.
He regarded her in incredulous astonish-
ment, but she still concealed her face in
her shining hair, weeping silently as be-
fore.
"You must be crazy, Nellie; don't talk
such nonsense could not jest about
thing like that"
"Jest Does it look as if were jest
ing P'' She threw back her hair and raised
her head, f" I tell you that am married,
Roberto
He grew pale and sick, there was that in
her, face which made him feel that some
thing terrible had happened, but his clear,
acute sense refused to credit the tale he
just heard. d a-t.tn 5saa5a
"Tell me all about it, Nellie, l must
understand everything" . 1.afi
"Do not ask me, can tell you nothing
have already broken my word in saying
this, she answered, sobbing again.
"I tell you what it is, Nellie Lennox,"
exclaimed Robert, flushing with indigna-
tion, "if you don't tell me, word for word,
all about this confounded mystery, I'll
make It worse for those who have brought
this on you ! Now you are not married.
Don't tell me that, for won't believe, it,
you have taken an oath or some such thing,
but that is all.r
"I' tell you, Robert, that am mar
ried p f" '.' ','"
He sprang up, as if he would have stood
between her and some great danger, while
his truthful face flushed and paled between
a stern indignation and a great sorrow.
TO whom, Nellie, to whom?'
"You must ask nothing more p
l'"" Don't be silly, will know everything
Is it your guardian-has he daredS"
" No, no, not he ~
'n "Who then, tell me, win know !
Where is hep When were you married ?"
Nellie only shook her head in answer to
his rapid questions.
| HI,u 6nd ont sor,a NOV of c,attin,, 20 tLa
bottom of this affair."" he exclaimed, rush
ing on t of the arbOr, r"I will, by heaven |"
"Stop, Robert, stop-come back-do, oh,
dop' - ..t5.
He paused at the wild entreaty in her
voice, returned and sat down by her again.
:" Then tell me all about it Does Mr.
James know of it ?" ,o
"Iwill not say another word until you
promise me TO do nothing-neyer even to
speak Of it to any human being until
have given you permission h a..
4" promise-yes-who, who?"
"Do you remember those poems that
we read ?" Ef
1t is William Sears-great heaven p
"Don't grieve, Robert didn't know
Il hardly understood--it is year ago
I was SO young! We were married, and
then he went away, have never seen him
since"
Where is he now ?"
do not even know--he has not once
written Oh, Robert, pity me p
ado YOU love him Nellie ?p
al have only seen him once or twice
did not feel unwilling-I did not think
much about it until lately, and now"
She bowed her head for a moment, and
the hot tears poured scalding upon Roberts
hands.
"Don't cry, Nellie, something can be
done Perhaps the marriage was not
legal2"
have seen the certiicate--I know the
clergyman's name"
"Curse them IL see it all-it was for
the money-it was your fortune tempted
them.n
Not my guardian-oh, mol will never
believe it He thought that Mr.. Sears
loved me, ] know he did,
Robert shook his head.
"You are SO innocent, SO unsuspecting
poor Nellie Oh God win punish them for
this crime, il it be out Of the power Of
man. But there Is a way-.-there must be
---you were so young 0N
Z" win do nothing, Robert, nothing
Perhaps he will never come back. y NJ
And you win wear out your youth