The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-20


party, Belle actually insulted Miss
Flanders ? William noticed how
strangely she acted, and was very much
annoyed about it. Every once in a while
she would say something about here
Grace hesitated-" about the person
she spoke OF just now, and actually
threw gloom over everything"
Betty waited upon the table carefully,
and heard all that was said.
AT last the family left the dining
room, and she had it all her own way.
1t was plain to be seen that the old
adversary" was sneaking round some
where, for Betty's Coronation, J"
+" Lennox and Amsterdam were
produced with an unusual amount OF
vim.
"There !" said she, to herself, after a
while; 1 guess L can look into the
thing a little now. That Belle Har-
court is a wonderful gal, and she has
got her suspicion reused by something
she's seen or heard. I'd give cooky
to know what it is. If that stuck-up
Flanders thing should be found at the
bottom of that Elsie Gorham scrape-
'Ye tribes of Adam join
With heaven and earth and seas
sang Betty. cit is astonishing how
quick mean thoughts sneak in just as
soon as you open the door crack
'Tain't best, suppose, to Judge any
body till you have pretty, good evidence
that you amt going to Judge EN-.
And offer notes divine
To your Creators praise"
continued the woman, determined to
conquer her uncharitable feelings.
One hour after, very pale face pre-
scented itself at Betty's kitchen-door,
and asked for q cup of tea.
Ella, Master William amt you had
no support" inquired Betty, giving the
young man searching glance.
ooh, yes" he answered, YEARLY ;
"but / have a headache and heart
ache, Betty, and thought perhaps a
strong cup of your tea would make me
forget them, for while, at least"
Humph % grunted Betty; tea
won't do it. What you want just about
this time is good strong dose of prin-
ciple, sweetened and favored with the
essence of common sense ;" and the old
servants face was really beautiful as
she calmly met the gaze of her compan-
ion.
"What do you know about it, Betty ?"
inquired the young man, under his
breath, and then, without waiting for a
reply, went on "Betty, have made
up my mind to ask Miss Flanders to be
my wife tomorrow. l came very near
doing il this evening, but. some way,
l couldn't-concluded that Thanksgiv-
ing would be the most APP ropriate time,
and"
"And thought you'd run home to
stiflen up your Backbone a little, in
terrupted Betty. "That's where You
did right. Postponed proposals, like
postponed pudding, don't usually
amount to much. I've been thinking a
good deal about Elsie Gorham to-day,
William, and so has Belle"
Don't Betty, implore you-den't!"
and William Harcourt covered his face
with his hands. 81 can endure any
thing under heaven but the mention of
that name Why do you torture me
so 2" And then, Selling both her hands,
continued, almost fiercely You have
heard something Betty. Tell me this
instant what it is"
Just then the figure of woman APP
peared outside the kitchen window, a
pale face was pressed for brief second
against the window-pane, and then both
vanished noiselessly.
ooh, Betty did you see that ?''
gasped William.
Eyes, saw it," said Betty, hurrying
to the back door, and looking out
"and it was Elsie, too. What has
brought her back here? She's gone,
though, whoever she was there's no
sign of her anywhere.
"That face looked like the face of a
corpse, Betty. 1t couldn't be Elsie.
She never would come around here in
such a way-never.
Well, whether twas or whether
'twasn't, Mister William, one thing is
sure about it. The vision was sent to
you as a warning and you had better
look twice before You leap"
ooh, Betty came to you for COM
fort, and what have you given me? 1t
is time-quite time-that L forgot the
girl who came so near making ship
wreck of my life, and will entirely for
get her by linking my fate to that of
pure, good woman. There lies my only
salvation"
"What if Elsie Gorham has been lied
about what then? What if you should
hold on little longer, and be sensible,
and patient, before you commit sui
eide ?" and Betty laughed grim, hys.
terical laugh, that made her harder to
understand than ever.
William Harcourt passed up to his
room, and In few moments after, Belle
appeared in the kitchen, her face light
ed up with excitement, and so full of
her subject that she was hardly coher-
ent
Get your shawl, Betty, and come
with me. See lilly Hunt has brought
me note from Elsie Gorham and she
wants you and me to meet her at the
old we'll. Oh, dear I'm so glad This
is what she says, Betty:
"'I have returned fully prepared to
disprove all the ISLANDERS circulated
against me, and point to the author of
my trouble
"Think of it, Betty the darling has
been away whole year"
And chatting softly together, these
too great hearted women stepped lightly
out into the darkness.
Two minutes of swift walking sufficed
cied to bring them to the spot designat-