The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-08

uateu want OF hospitality, out snt
very pleasantly arose and placed a
chair near the fire.
"Oh, no, Ned. you only imagine
we don't want to see you Sit down
Amt you cold Mother and Father
are gone"
II don't care where they are gone
came to see you, and none but
you"
He drew his chair away from the
IRE, and near the table where Mag
gle sat
"Well, Ned, here ] am for YOU to
see"
She was determined not to allow
her annOyances TO escape her, SO she
assumed from the frst a friendly,
CHEEKY tone. And it molified Ned as
she intended it should
Il was a little rough on the old
folks Maggie but the truth is, since
.-since-you and that Wayland fel-
low have been such friends, / see
precious little of you anyway"
[ Maggie could have bitten her
tongue to have prevented the blush
she felt surging over her face.
II would naturally see more of my
betrothed husband than merely
friend. Ned, please hand me the scis
sors."
She did not lift her eyes, but slipped
her thread silently, and went on sew.
ing while Ned toyed with the scis-
sors moodily. Finally, almost alb
ruptly, he spoke.
IN get out ana leave You in
peace, Maggie, if you'll give me one
Of your curls to remember you by"
Maggie smiled indalgently, secret
ly thankful at such a cheap release.
You may have any curl you
want; Ned, and welcome. Only,
you must not take il as q pledge of
banishment, Ned" And now Mag
gle laid down her sewing, and
looked into his moody half-scorned
face Il wish for your sake it had
been as you desire. But as it is not
as am so content, let it all be for
gotten. Which curl viii you have !?
She leaned her head toward him
coquetishly; and he, awkwardly,
cut one off close to her neck: so close
the cold steel made her start.
The moment he had severed it, he
threw down the scissors, thru st the
curl in his pocket in wad, and arose
from his chair.
Il said I'd 20. Good bye, Mag
gle"
Almost before Maggie could recoy-
er from her surprise at his wild, ab-
.upt way, be was off, his footsteps
ringing loud on the frozen ground.
His eyes were brighter than usual,
and his face fairly worked with exul-
tation as be drew the tangled black
curl from his pocket; and with it a band
Of black velvet, to which a tiny,
plain gold cross attached.
Littlv did my lady know | cut the
velvet with the curl, and only beg
ged the hair that | might secure the
cross. Little did the iovers-eurse
them-know | overheard their sugar.
candy romance about the token of the
cross. But If George Wayland don't
get this back before I'm q week old
er, it'll be strange. Trust either of
them for pn explanation, they're too
plaguey proud"
And Maggie went on with her
sewing for another hour in blissful
unconsciousness Of the loss Of her
treasure. Afterward she ard Bessie
had a game of romps before Bessie
finally went to bed; and still later,
at halfpast nine, she and her broth
er Ben went down to the last mail
to see if there was a letter from
George.
1t was not until she had retired to
her own room, and stood before ner
dressing bureau to arrange her hair
for the night, that she missed it,
and then she missed it, at the first
glance in the glass.
1t was down stairs, of course, on
the floor, where it had fallen when
she and Bessie had their game of
fun orc ! suppose Sc had lost it on
the street on the way to the Post
Office 1t was very probable, very,
and when she had crept softly down
stairs, lamp in hand, and thoroughly
searched the sitting-room in vain, she
knew it was really lost on the street
What would George say of her care
lessness? How could the velvet have
become united, and with little fit of
crying over her loss, Maggie went to
bed and dreamed of wading ankle
deep through gold crosses.
Gorge Wayland, on his way home
from hard days work, stopped in
the post-offiee in the far off Western
city for the long delayed letter from
Maggie Carroll. 1t had been fort
night now, since be had received the
last, and a worried sort of feeling took
possession of him at the delay.
Was Maggie i'll? away from home
hated himself for the
ugly thought that more than once
fitted unbidden across his mind
Morrison's heir-ship to long dispu-
ted estate, that Maggie could have
changed her mind? Yes it was
barely possible, and that was all.
George decided and when the mail
was at last opened, and the rush at
the boxes were lessened somewhat,
and George actually saw there was
one for him, he felt it was very i'm
possible.
But he shook with surprise and
sick fear TO see Ned Morrison's hand
writing. What was the news in the
sealed envelope?
He tore it rudely open, and wrap
ped in a tissue paper, dropped in
his trembling hands-Maggie's gold
cross,
Not word; only this mute sign
the very token he had suggested !
How contemptuous the blank piece
of paper seemed to him, and how
unutter ably mocking did his name,
in Ned Morrison's handwriting ap-
pear.
So, not only possible that Maggie
could throw him over, but actually
the fact, that she had