The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-04-01

The night had come on with pitiless
cold. The frosty snow-light enabled
her to see down the deserted road. 1t
was completely trackless. The icy
fakes SWEPT in her face, and the cold
wind sounded with mournful cadence
over the dreary fields and through
the leafcss branches of the trees.
About an hour after Efie left Mr..
Grey.s, there cane q ring at the door,
and Tom Allen came in-the bright
est. pleasantest fellow in the village,
general favorite-and Rose greeted
him cordially. All these young people
had known each other from childhood
and there were few secrets among
them.
why, Tom, how are you? What
brought you here on such a night as
this- l know you did not come to
see me-" said Rose with a eleeful
laugh.
IL came" replied Tom, with a
sudden blush, Ito walk home with
Effie, If she is here"
With Efie' Why, she left here an
hour ago.
"What-alone-"
"No-with that Mr.. Talbot, Of
course"
but he has gone to New York"
ITO New York. Oh, no, you must
be mistaken. He could net possibly
have walked to Mrs. Lawrence's and
back in time"
Tom Allen had grown pale while
the young lady spoke.
Rose" he said, ARE you sure of
what you say. Mr.. Talbot has GER
tainIy gone back to New York. I saw
Effie come in here early this afternoon
on my way to the Office. On my re-
turn just now. heard that Mr.. Talbot
had rushed off to New York in hur-
ry; and l thought I would come on
the chance of finding Efie, and take
her home"
1T is very strange" said Rose, 1T
| was almost dark when they went away.
What time did NJ. Talbot start?'
'He took the six o'clock express.
"A nd they left just before FIVE. /
asked Effie to stay all night, but she
refused.
Tom was already putting on his coat
again. -.
There is something strange in this,
he said Rose, l am going over to
Mrs Lawrence's at once. That man
could not have left her alone in the
storm. Could She .
Gould she what?' asked Rose,
looking at him in alarm. 'Oh, Tom,
you don't mean to think that she has
gone with him?
Il don't know what to think" he
answered. Il only know that L shall
be w,et.hed until I find out what it
| means l must go at once Then IN
answer to her appealing look, Yes, l
will let you know what 1 find out. y
aud he hurried away from the house.
Aliens rapid strides brought him in
| spite of the storm. to Mrs. Lawrence s
cottage in a wonderfully short time
His summons at the door met with a
quick response, the lady opening it for
| him herself.
All, Tom, l am glad to see you"
Then peering out into the storm, but
| where is Efie?"
| "Effie is not with me" replied Tom,
| coming into the house and following
| her into the cosy sitting room.
| THAT is very strange" said Mrs:
Lawrence. "Then suppose she will
stay at Grey's all night, but | did not
"She is not at the Gray's," Allen
answered.
| And now, as Mrs. Lawrence looked
at him. she was struck with the strange
expression Of his face. His worst
! fears had been corroborated by not
finding Effie at home, and the anguish
of his heart could not but look out OF
! his eyes.
| what is it, Tom?" asked Mrs.
Lawrence anxiously. Where is
Effie?'
Il do not know. Sho left Mr..
Greys about 5 o'clock with Mr.. Tai
bot p"
And you did not pass them on the
road"
NO" Then with an effort: "Mr.
Talbot has returned to New York.
You do not mean that you think
Effic went with him?' she said, very
| slowly.
| Mrs. Lawrence, 1 do not know
what to think" groaned Allen. "Ef-
fie is not here-she is gone. Where
is she?"
Not with him. Tom, not with
him! I'm sure of that" cried the
lady eagerly. ''She has stopped al
some of the neighbors, or returned t.
Gray's. No, Tom, it cannot be that
she would leave me So"
Then in a moment she said almost
wildly: You must find her, Tom
She cared for you; she did not like
him. There is some strange mystery
but, oh! my darling girl would moi
desert US so cruelty"
! Allen was half convinced by hel
energy.
Il will do my best to find out about
it at once" be said ''If che is in the
neighborhood l will discover her; i
she has really gone with him, some
one must know it.
Then followed a brief and earnest
consultation, Mrs. Lawrence suggest
ing such places as Effie might posi-
bly, have gone to, and then once more
Tom went on his way, this time armed
with lantern.
Out into the night again. the red
glow of the lantern casting strange
CLEANS across the snow and lighting
up the fakes for . moment, rs they
passed across its radiance.
He had plunged on with fiery Gag
erness for some half a mile, when :
faint sound caught his ear, like the
distant echo of his own name:
.Toml Tomv'
/ He paused q moment. Was it .
| fancy? No, it came again-muf1ed
but louder:
Tom! Tom, Toni Help mel helI
me, Tom"
| He knew the voice now, and cried
out, his heart bounding with eagel
delight:
"Where are you, Efie? Ehie, m,
darling"
Here, Tom, under the snow"
He was bv her side pYceent1y AND