Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-04-24

ed Malcom, who was excitedly pacing up
and down the verandah which surround
ed the house, and said:
"Pd like to have my fare, sir, for I
must be off. I can't wait here all day
unless you pay me for waiting"
"You may remain, for I'll want you
to take me back to the station, and I'll
pay you for your time," replied NAL
com.
"All right, sir" said the man, going
back to his vehicle, but wondering at
the peculiar manner in which the gentle
man was acting.
81 will see her!" cried Malcom, "and
wiring the truth from her. The meaning
of this scandalous note, in justice to my
self, must be explained before I leave
Malvern -
He rang the bell, and again the SER
want made her appearance.
"Tell Miss Rangton that must have
few minutes conversation with her.
The servant departed to deliver the
message, and quickly came back with an
answer.
Miss Rangton desires me to inform
you that it is impossible for her to grant
your request, and wishes you to cease
annoying her with such solicitations, and
to leave this house immediately"
"But she shall speak with me-" cried
the now infuriated Malcolm.
81 was instructed not to admit you,"
and with that she shut the door in his
face, and locked it also.
"She is afraid I'll force my way into
the house-as if | were some cowardlv
ruffian, and not gentleman. [ will go,
for [ should despise myself if I were
again to beg for that explanation which
it is my right to have granted me. It
is hard, very hard though, not knowing
the cause, to part in this way from the
woman you love. Perhaps I may Judge
her wrongly-perhaps some persons
have slandered me in my absence, and
she has believed them. It is possible,
and yet she has not acted like q woman
who has been injured, but like one who
commits an injury. Well, she won't
see me, nor shall I try to force heragain,
SO I'll go from here, and, in time, 7
may learn to forget her,"
He walked slowly, the picture of
grief stricken man, down the graveled
walk, but as he reached the gate, lady
approached it from the other side
"My dear Malcom, " she cried, "what
is the ma ter? You look as if some
great misfortune had befallen YOU"
"And SO there has, Mrs. Rangton.
Read this and judge for yourself, and
then explain it if you can," he replied,
handing her Minnies note.
81 really can't conjecture what has
caused her to write you in this fashion,"
said Mrs. Rangton, when she had perused
the missive. "This morning." she
added, Minnie was looking joyfully
forward to your coming"
"And you don't doubt that my affec-
ton for her is as great as it ever was,
Mrs. Rangton % he asked, interrupting
her.
Z" / have had no cause to doubt, NAL
com, nor will [ till have full and suffi-
cient proof. / am convinced that there
is some great mistake, but what it is, I
can neither say nor think"
81 hope it may prove nothing worse, /"
he replied, sadly. 81 sought an ex-
planation of her strange conduct, but
she would not grant me an interview.
Goodbye, Mrs. Rangton, for I must go,
else / shall miss the next train. You
may tell her that for
Malcom, you shall do nothing of the
kind. / have known you since you were
a child, and I'm sure you would not do
anything wrong Or unmanly. I have
always placed as much faith in you as I
have in Minnie, Malcolm therefore, as
you say you cannot explain what has
caused her to take this sudden dislike to
you, she herself must do so, for your
satisfaction and mine. Come with me
into the house; we have already delayed
too long. The sooner this matter is
cleared up, the better for all parties
concerned"
"My pride, Mrs. Rangton, will not
permit me to enter until Minnie sum-
mons me, and I doubt if she ever will.
Twice to-day the door has been slammed
in my face, as if were some low char
acter, and, unquestionably, by your
daughters orders"
"I did not think she could act in such
an unladylike manner, She shall beg