Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-01-11

ing the others Intention, Tilly gave them
a smile apiece, and murnuring something
about fixing her dress, passed them, fled
through the dark hall, up the dark stair
| case. and gained her own room in breath
| less state.
How long she was pinning up that
breadth she never ki,aW. When she dared
stay away no longer sire put out her lamp
and slowly--very slowly-began to descend
the stairs. OF course she at last reached
the bottom stair. upon which she sat down
and doletrlly regarded the lines of light
under the parlor doors. as If they wonld
help her to conclusion.
! 1t was but moment that she sat there,
but in that moment she was terribly star
tied by q sudden movement close by her in
the dark. Her hand was elasped in two
others, and voice whispered,
| 'Tilly, want my answer. Aren't you
going to give it to me?'
Miss M'Ewens was struck dumb. Here
was the crisis upon her. Here had Jones
or johnson come to the point at last. And
| which had come to the point she did not
know. Not an outline of the figure so close
to her could she see. and the suppressed
voice gave her no clew. oh me" was her
mental ejaculation, 'ifI was only cal, and
! could see In the dark"
| Being no nearer cat than Mormon,
aehe had TO content herself with the wish
| Not knowing how to act, she neither re-
| sponded nor moved.
why don't you speak? know it's you :
and daring hand touched the short curls
on Tilly's forehead. -
| Miss M'Ewens would have given . deSe
to have been as sure OF the Identity OF the
questioner. II he would only speak aloud
or If some one would open one Of the par
| lor doors,
'rilly,'-this time'the whisper was ur-
gent-'its now or never with me. IL you
| don't give me an up.and-down Yes or
NO you'll never have the chance again.
| Oh, which was it? Black mustaches
and blue eyes danced before Miss M'Ewens
in the blackness, as she stood face to face
with destiny And feeling that 1t was des-
tiry, she put her right hand In those that
prsoned her left, and said, also in a whis-
per,
Well, then-Yes.'
The next instant there was aifexclama-
tion, somewhere beyond in the dark space,
tirat sounded very profane. The coal col
lar or tho arm of the individual nearest
lilly was seized by third person, and the
lover she had just accepted was whirled
| Violently a. Yin,t the opposite wall There
wss scufife ia the dark. 4Iliy little cow
ard that she. Was, uttered aloud scream aud
and ran back op stairs as fast as her feet
would carry her: Jus, as she reached her
own door the .barior doors below burst
open. and an fh0escribable hubbub follow
ed: Tilly, crouched in the durk. with her
heart'beating yiolently> Gould distinguish
! nothing until, after several minutes. she
cautiously crept back 10 the head OF the
stairs. The crowd was going back into
the lighted rooms. Neither Jones nor
johnson was to be seen. Amlds the loud
laughter aud indistinct speculation below
her, Miss M'Ewens caught a sentence here
and there.
'Punching In the dark. warn't it? They
never were good friends
'Wonde! which would "a come out ahead
II they'd gene on
Not Jones; he went of sullen enough.
Wish Johnson'd "a fought 1t out
Who on earth was that that screamed?
Guilty lilly drew her head back. ran TO
her own room, locked the door aud threw
herself on the bed in state OF mind impos-
siJle to describe. To one of her lovers she
was at last eugaged-but to which? And
as for the other, who had, of course. been
also waansst Ito waylay her in the hall,
there waS nothing iu the world more cef-
tainfhAn thai she bad seen the last of him.
All Eaia aen0ngisexcept identity. 1t would
be dlmcuft to. record the speculations,
hops, and fears that tormented Miss NJ
Ewefis aAShe lay for two mortal hours on
that patchwork-coveredb bed with her face
hidden n her hands. 0nfytwo hours, yet
1t seemed five TO her, befor the door GAS
shaken and Polls voice demanded admit
tance. lilly sprang to the door.
oh, POLL was her first anxious question,
did either OF them hurt the other-and
which did it!
Poll nearly dropped the lamp. but recov.
cred herself, and set 1t down deliberately;
then turned and surveyed Tilly's dishevel-
ed figure.
III you amt picture What on earth
have you been ayins~Np here for? I've
been half kadgered t6 death to find you,
and came, here the last place. He's down
stairs yet, waiting 4
Who's down stairs, Poll?'
,iou don't say you don't know, Which
Of {. ., 'em spoke to yout Haint you settled
:one of 'em did. F6n, but it was dark and
| don't know which, And | said yes, aud
they had that dreadful fight
Well, ii you amt the. .beatermostr and
Polls white-blue eyes opened to their Wild
est extent. AN know ia, Johnson's down
stairs now, bound to wait till he sees you ;
and Jones left doube-Quick after that set
to. Both of 'em was mad enough, If that's
all, but they want hurt to speak Of
oh, dear me = Miss MEwens thought of
the mar that fell bseweeKt wo stools Per-
haps Jones has gone off in a huff, aud John
sons waiting to give me 10. piece of his
mind. -, -. !
1T must be a mighty pleasant piece then.
He's as clipper as you like just now. III
was you. I'd 60 down stairs. The folks
are all gone. l guess that scream of yours
drove 'em off,
Once within the door of the deserted and
dsordered SaE1Qr, Miss M'Ewens did not
long remain s6HynOrance as to who her ac-
'cepted lover w43A TS> arms were thrown
round her, and. ~ Ups shaded by black
mus1lR we're pressed to Aes own. Wheth.
erN rN ss EEyens thouglH regretfully of
III astyes thAt were lost forever, | can
= & al anF rate, she smiled radiant
ly g ~ make Mr.. johnson forget his
bruis ID N alder amt. sides. And when,
half hOafnater. Mr.. johnson exclaimed,
HoTson earth Jones ever got into that
hall Without my knowing it, can't think
~anS/what was the good OF his pitching into
ne! she only answered. with laugh,
'Oh, never mind Jones'
He couldn't stand II to hear you say
yes to me, Tilly.'
Il suppose he thought meant to say
ives TO him. was the innocant raioinar