The Portland daily press., 1874-10-31

shSuo noloo do u SiaF0i pciuS tufOWH dSdius1
her window. Agatha jumped up, put on her
bonnet and cloak, took up her bundle, and
went down stairs without a light At the
bottom she slipped on her boots, and passed
amid the chirping crickets to the door. 1t
was unbarred. Her uncle, then, had risen, as
she had half expected. and it necessitated a
little more caution. The morning was dark
as a cavern, not star being visible; but
knowing the bearings well, she went cautious
ly and in silence to the mill door. A faint
light shone from inside, and the form of the
mill-cart appeared without, the horse ready
harnessed to it. Agatha did not see John
for the moment, but concluded that he was
in the mill with her uncle, who had just at
this minute started the wheel for the day.
She at once slipped into the vehicle and I'M
der the tilt, pulling some empty sacks over, las
it had been previously agreed that she should
do, to avoid the risk of discovery. After a
few minutes of suspense she heard John
coming from under the wall, where he had
apparently been standing and watching her
safely in, and mounting in front, away he
drove at a walking pace.
Her scheme had been based upon the fol-
lowing particulars of mill business: Thrice a
week it was the regular custom for John and
another young man TO start early in the
morning, each with horse and covered cart,
few miles off, the carts being laden overnight.
Ali that she had asked john to do this morn
ing was to take her with him to a railway sta
ton about ten miles distant, where she might
safely wait for an up train.
How will John act on returning-what will
he say-how will ne excuse himself? she
thought as they logged along. "John!' she
said, meaning to ask him about these things
but he did not hear, and she was too confused
and weary after her wakeful night to be able
to think consecutively on any subject. But
the relief of finding that her uncle did not
look into the cart caused delicious lull in
her, and while listlessly watching the dark
gray sky through the triangular opening be-
tween the curtains at the fore part of the tilt,
and Johns elbow projecting fiom the folds Of
one of them, showing where he was sitting on
the outside, she fell asleep.
She awoke after short interval-every-
thing was just the same-jog, jog, on they
went; there was the dim slit between the cur
tains in front, and, after slightly wondering
that John had not troubled himself to see thai
she was comfortable, she dozed again. Thus
Agatha remained until she had a clear con-
seriousness of the stopping of the cart. II
aroused her, and looking at once through a
small opening at the back, she perceived in
the dim dawn that they were turning right
ceeding on the way back again.
"John, what are you doing?" she exclaimed,
jumping up, and pulling aside the curtain
which parted them.
John did not turn.
GLOW fearfully deaf he is" she thought,
"and how odd he looks behind, and he hangs
forward as if he were asleep. His hair is
snow-white with flour; does he never clean il
then?'' She crept across the sacks, and
slapped him on the shoulder. John turned
then.
Hee-hee, my DEAR" said the blithe old gen
tleman; and the moisture of his aged eye glis
tened in the dawning light, as he turned and
looked into her Mortified face. sit is all right
am John, and have given We a nice morn.
ing's airing to refresh We for the uncommon
duties of to-day; and now we are going back
for the ceremony-hee-hee."
He wore miller's smcck-frock on this in.
teresting occasion, and had been enable to
play the part of John in the episode by TAX.
ing the second cart and horse and anticipat.
ing by an hour the real John in calling her.
Agatha sank backward. How on earth
had he discovered the scheme of escape SO
readily; he, an old and by no means suspic-
ious MANI But what mattered solution
an end. Agatha was awakened from thought
by another stopping of the horse, and they
were again at the mill-door.
She dimly recognized her uncles voice
speaking in anger to her when the old far.
mer handed her out of the vehicle, and heard
the farmer reply, merrily, that girls would be
girls and have their freaks that it didn't mat.
ter, and that it was pleasant jest on this
aupicious morn. For himself, there was
nothing he had enjoyed all his life so much as
a practical joke which did no harm. Then
che had cancafiop IF boipo told 10 M int,
the house, have some food, and dress for her
marriage with Mr.. Lovill, as she had prom
ised to do on that day.
All this she did, and at eleven O'Clock be-
came the wife of the old man.
When Agatha was putting on her bonnet
in the dusk of the evening, for she would not
illuminate her CHASTITY face by candle, a
rustling came against the door. Agatha
turned. Her uncle's wife, Frances, was look
ing into the room, and Agatha could just dis
Germ upon her aunts form the blue cloak
which had ruled her destiny.
The sight was almsst more than she could
bear. II, as seemed likely, this effect was in
tended, the trick was certainly successful.
Frances did not SIP eak word.
Then Agatha said in quiet irony, and with
no evidence whatever of regret, sadness, OF
surprise at what the act revealed: Sand sc
you told Mr.. Lovil of my flight this morning,
and set him on my track? It would be anus.
ing to know how you found out my plan, for
he never could have done it by himself, poor
old darling.''
"Oh, was witness of your arrangement
with John last night-that was all, my DEAR =
said her aunt pleasantly. 81 mentioned it
then to Mr.. Lovill, and helped lin to his
joke of hindering you. =. You remember
the van, Agatha, andEhow you made use OF
my name on that occasion, years ago, now ~
ssYes,and did you hear oar talk that night
always fancied otherwise
81 heard it all. It was fun to you; what
do you think it vas to me-fun, too ?-to lose
the man lopsed for, and to become the wife
OF a man Tcare not an atom about?"
him away from me, dear aunt!'
And have done it, too.''
''Not you, exactly. The Parson and fate"
'Parson Davds kindly persuaded you, be-
cause kindly persuaded him, and persuaded
your uncle to send you to him. Mr.. Davids
is an old admirer of mine. Now do you see a
wheel within a wheel, Agatha? ?"
Calmness was almost insupportable by Aga
tina now, but she managed to say: "Of course
you have kept back letters from Oswald to
me.''
mo, I have not done that" said Frances,
"But told Oswald, who landed at South
haste at sevel this morning, that you had
gone out for an early drive with the man you
were to marry to-day, and that it might
cause confusion if he remained. He looked
very pale, and went away again at once to
catch the next London train, saying some
thing about having been prevented by a
severe illness from sailing at the time he had
promised and intended for the last twelve
month"
The bride, though nearly slain by the news,
would not finch in the presence of her ad-
versary. Shilling her quivering flesh, she
said smiling: 'That information is deeply
interesting, but does not concern me at all,
for l am my husbands darling now, you
know, and wouldn't make the dear man
jealous for the world" And she glided
down stairs to the chaise.
EnTTT ANT nNAl