The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-03-26

at this little insignificant stopping place.
Lorrimer's heart stood till as among
them he saw John Bradshaw and the
slim shrinking form of the school-mis-
tress. For a moment he stood paraly-
zed What did 1t mean? Then he
sprang forward; 3 hundred different
emotions rendered him speechless, but
he held out to her his hands.
She shrank back, and John Brad
shaw's arm encircled her in protecting
grasp.
Get out of my path, SIR he said
roughly.
Lorrimer, seemingly unconscious of
his presence, drew still nearer to Nell
cent
For Gods sake, Miss Wharton he
said, 'don't drive me away from you af-
ter all Ive gone through to get here?'
She stopped at the first sound of his
voice, and all the strength of John
Bradshaw couldn't force her on.
'Why-why,' she faltered, 'it's Mr..
Lorrimer.'
Her hand half escaped from John
Bradshaw's arm; she took one little step
forward.
Yes, yes said Lorriner, eagerly. Il
beg of you, oh, pray of you, Miss
Wharton, give me the chance to tell you
all I've suffered since l last saw youp
Nonsense, air. said the stern voice of
Bradshaw. It'll be well on to midnight
now when we reach home. l should
think you'd find it natural that this la
dy should prefer my company to yours
Then let her say SO, said Lorrimer,
standing directly in the path of the irate
young farmer. Il will only take this
verdict at her hands, and may Heaven
incline her heart to mercy
She looked from one to the other. The
sturdy form of Bradshaw loomed full
foot above that of Lorrimer. The rug
ged outlines of his face caught rude
grandeur in the dim light. Lorrimer's
aspect was pitiable indeed. His eyes
were haggard with excitement and
biood-shot with cinders; his face streak
ed with SCOT and the greasy smoke of
the engine, was almost unrecognizable;
his travelling suit of that peculiar
gray SO dear to the heart of an artist,
wore many discolored patch. But he
held out his hands to her imploringly,
and there was that in his eyes that was
almost magnetic in appeal.
"Come," he said; "Oh, be generous!'
Bradshaw felt the hand upon his arm
tremble.
Choose, then" he said, pushing it
from him-''choose between this mans
company and mine"
1t was a sin and shame. I wish she
had chosen Bradshaw. He was fine,
manly fellow in the main, he had been
in his own hard way, a hero in her be-
half; there was at that time even in per-
sonal attributes no comparison between
the strong. sensible mountaineer and the
vacillating womanly artist
But Miss Wharton faltered out some
thing to the effect that she thought she
ought in courtesy to listen to the apollo
gy of Mr.. Lorrimer; and with one little
halfdrawn sigh, she fell forward half
faInting In the per6dous custody that
had only that day proved so dangerous.
You dear, dear little womanl'' said
Lorrimer, as the tall figure of Bradshaw
strobe away in the distance, "you never
shall repent this generosity. There is
not under the living canopy of heaven,
a nobler, greater soul than your own, of
more penitent, grateful heart than
mine!"
And as if she had not had enough of
the sea, before she reached the farm
house that night she even consented TO
cross the ocean itself on her wedding
journey with Lorrimer.
"Hell leave her on the other side, :"
said John Bradshaw to me when he
heard of it "and come back with the first
pretty face that seizes his fancy" But
/ hope this was only Johns way of dis
posing of their future. For my part, I
have every hope of their joy and pros
peritv.