Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-04-08


t shivering trees. unloosing the mountain
| streams, and raising the river to q wild,
: swollen food. Rheumatism, stalking about
! after victims during this congenial season,
[ had captured poor Mr. Humphreys, aud
he was a prisoner in his room. Mrs.
, Humphreys could attend to two things at
once, and while she concocted liuiments,
and abounded in hot fannels. she did not
relax her vigilance as a sentinel
Since that first time, she had caught
: more than one glimpse of the light hat
and Jeanle's girIish figure together, and
now she learned that Rolfe was going
. away--possibly because he knew that he
could hold his place at the mills but little
longer, possibly because of some more urg-
ent reason. Mrs. Humphreys thought, and
she determined to be more certain before
he departed. Jeanie might clore with him.
w, SbS uiu bob OSIieFS tua', Vul NC WOulu
surely try to see her the night before he
went away, and there would be promises
exchanged, arrangements for correspond
ence. and al! that sort Of thing. Ii she
could but keep Jeane out of the way and
NEE, him herself!
1t was weird night: the moon now
shone out brightly. now was hidden behind
masses of wild, kurryug clouds, end the
wind blew ftiully. A bright fire burned
in the open CRATE, but Jeauis, pacing
though,fulIy to and fro, turned often from
its cheerful light to gaze into the gloom
without, Mrs. Humphreys, vibrating
between the pleasant parlor and the iuva-
lids room above, finally paused, hot salt
and vinegar in hand.
"You keep looking from that window,
Jeauie, as if you had just as lief be outside
as in"
~ wouldn't mind" answered Jamie,
smiling family. The wind always had
a charm for me-"
Then, if you really wouldn't mind. |
wish you would CO." exclaimed Mrs. Hum
phreys, quickly improving her opportunity.
Philip is at the Office, and will stay
there all night, for the vatchmsn is away
The man lives dewn near the flats, you
know, and the river has raised so that his
yard is flooded, and he feared there might
be danger, and has gone to move his fam
lily. Philip was TOO busy to come up to
supper, and | cannot bear to have him
there all night without anything to eat.
| would like to send him something but
Mr.. Humphreys is sick, and | cannot leave
him, so There is no one to 60 unless you
will DO it," t-..
II is too bad that he should stay with
cut it" said Jeauie hesitatiugy, "and /
do MOI see that any one else can 60 1t
really seems as though l ought to, doesn't
it ?"
"lf you care anything about his com.
fort" responded Mrs. Humphreys briefly.
Aud so the basket was speedily packed,
and Jeane cloaked and hooded for her
walk.
"If she knew how much | care, would
she have sent me, wonder ~ questioned
Jeenie, making her way down the garden
path. "She has such high plans for
Philip, and feel almost like q traitor
every day | live here. knowing how
have thwarted her hopes, though so inno-
Gently. She will know il soon, and then
| so dread her disappointment and anger.
My cowardice keeps Philip fron explain.
ing it all, know but how can / bear to
have her so deeply offended with him be-
cause Of me? And yet-Oh! ! cannot
wish he had not loved me--my poor lfe's
one treasure :"
Watching the cleuded sky and dreary
garden seemed to possess quite as strong
fascination for Mrs. Humphreys as it had
done for .Ieanie. She settled her patieur
comfortably, frightened the fir sand drop
ped the curtains over the windows but
these last were pushed aside at Intervals,
that she might peer out into the night.
Once she threw shawl over her head
aud walked down to The gate but there
was no one in sight
:" IF he csmes, l will meet him and tell
him what | know, and what suspect, and
see if | cannot learu tho truth, she saii.
Again aud again she looked toward the
road, now seeing 1t clearly in the moon
light, now straining her eyes through the
gloom, but no one appeared. At the
faintest sound of footsteps she beut her
head to listen, but in vain; Rolfe did not
come. Suddenly upon the stiffness broke
the sound of the factory bell, ringing in
quick, sharp strokes,
/" What's that?' questioned Mr.. Hum
phreys, starting up from his first nap. {
Mrs, Humphreys opened the window
hu.re6ly, and leaned out to listen In
moment other windows up and down the