Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-04-10

Mercury ere this. Miss Strickland smll-
ed with outward encouragement and
thrill of secret JOY, and held out her
hand. Joe blushed underneath all his
tan and freckles. became confused and
stammered something
why. Is it not for me ?" said Miss
Strickland. drawing back her hand as if
she had touched burning coal.
No. ma'am. This n amt This is
for-fOr Miss Lahnman. Mr.. Arthur
GilbeIt he sent this n to her"
This was piece of gratuitous men,
dacity, caused by JOe's embarrassment.
The note was indeed for Miss Lahnman.
for, by an unfortunate coincidence. Joe
had had >eOnfded to his care communi-
cation for each of the TWO ladies. He
had lost the note for Miss Strickland.
and having no intention of confessing
the fact, jumbled up names in this pecu-
liarly undesirable manner. COunseled
BY anger. Mss Strickland believed him.
She saw Miss Lahnman- read the note
saw her smile and blush. After that
she saw very little more during the day.
And Mr.. Gilbert's words at the church
door seemed to her no more than gra-
tuitOus insult
Four weeks passed after that Sunday
without word Of explanation. Nor did
she once see her lover. Time forgot his
wings. and erept on leaden feet Miss
Strickland's face grew noticeably paler
and thinner; look of expectancy be-
came almost habitual to her eyes and
lips. The postman's ring startled her.
A sudden voice. step quicker than usu-
al. sent a rapid flush into her cheeks,
which. fading. left her paler than before.
Instead Of saddening. however. she was
even gayer and more vivaciOus than was
usual or perhaps even natural with her.
But her health sank under the effort, de-
spite her courage. and at length her mo-
ther, becoming alarmed, proposed so
journ among the mountains.
So to the mountains they went But
now, weakened little by the i'll health
from which all her pride could not shield
her, Mabel begged for quiet-sOme pleas
ant farmhouse. not the great. crowded,
noisy hotel.
Money can find almost anything. and
they discovered the farmhouse. the ideal
farmhouse, large, pleasant, beautifully
situated. and containing. as their host
ess told them. but three or four boarders
besides themselves.
1t would be perfect" said Mabel,
sinking on the couch when the landlady
had left them-..it would be perfect.
if there was nobody. mamma, but just
you and nj"
The day following their arrival Miss
Strickland was too unwell to 20 down
stairs at all but the next evening, feel
ing better. she went down to tea. Mrs.
KittTell. the landlady, casually remark
ed that two Of her boarders had walked
that afternoon to the top Of hill ia
nous for Its view. Miss Strickland. she
added. would find them very pleasant,
lively people, and, she hoped, would like
them.
.-Oh. no doubt of it, :" said Miss Strick-
land. with languid pOliteness What
are their names. Mrs Kittrell ?''
The two that 1 have been speaking
Of are from your city. too. How pleas
ant if you should happen to know them !!
They are Mr.. Arthur Gilbert and Miss
Alice Lahnman.'
There was a scarcely perceptible
pause. Miss Strickland brushed some
thing from her shoulder
Il beg your pardon. Mrs. KittreIl-
know Miss Lahnman very well indeed.
and have net Mr.. Gilbert several times
also, though 20 casually can scarcely
call him an acquaintance Then the
poor girl seemed to think it necessary to
resume her old mask Of gayety, though,
save the two mentioned. there was not a
soul within a hundred miles Of her who
could have imagined anything Of her af-
fairs.
After tea. Miss Strickland stood a
.. moment alone on the gallery. She no.
tIced a narrow. grass-grOwn foot path
leading down the hillside. 1t was quite
lost from view among the trees at the
bottom Of the bill. and bending an at
tentive ear. she thought she heard the
soft sound Of running water. The shad-
ows. the solitude. the beauty promised,
tempted her Drawing her shawl close
around her. Miss Strickland walked
down the path unnOtieed. and seated
herself upon stone at the foot Of 4
great tree. This solitude, these sEee
sounds and vague forest OdOrs, had al
the delight Of novelty
.Ah. delicious = she murmured- IT
would be possible to Be almost happy
here"
She was quite wrapped in her Owl
thoughts And not until they we're JUS
crossing the brook did she notice the ap.
preaching figures Of Mr. Gilbert aBt
Miss Lahnman they we're then within