The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-08

Gerte would saunter in, looking inno-
| cent and unconscious, and then fare
well to all hopes Of a tete-a-Lete. l
| thought OF trying the post-Ofiice, but it's
! a deuced awkward thing for feitpw to
tell girl that he knows she loves him,
and that he is willing TO have her, on pa
per. 50, there we We're, none of Us dar-
ing to stir thbut the other, and per-
lecly inseparaDle, while each wa,
wishing the other at Jericho, and W.
might have gone on in that way till
dOOmsday, ii Tom hadn't expedited
matters by one OF those maneuYers III
which he delignted.
% We were ali talking about lake not
far distant, and Gertie expressed warm
desire TO see il. The wish was hardly
out of her mouth before Tom took it up.
"lf you really care to CO." he SAID,
"the Trap and Lady Fannie are at your
service this afternoon. wish l could
say as much fer myself; but here is
Charlie, who will De as happy to drive
you as l should be, II il were not Tor an
unlucky appointment"
On my word, mad hard work not to
laugh, veXed as L was; he had caught
us 50 nicely. Both OF Us disposed OF a.
one blow, and an afternoons tete-a-
Lete Win Alcyona secured lor him SELL
Gertie looked dangerous, but sue wise
Iy did the only thing lett Tor her, ana
Went up stairs for her hat ana shawl.
When she came down where l was wait
ing with Lady Fannie, she honored me
with long, quiZz Cal look, OF which l
could make nothing. l iancy l stam-
mered out something to that effect, ior
she burst into "a laugh.
"How droll you are, Mr.. Gadgrind! l
was not looking at you at all. l only
wanted to see If th1re was anything
about the harness, that was likely 70
break. You know, Lady Fannie Is noL
very gentle."
1t was Dad that, In about twenty min
utes from the time we started, some
thing did give way wasn't it? OI course,
we went back; and, very naturally, re-
paired to tue library to report our dis
asteT. was going in, but GerGle held
me back.
We were too late.
"You misunderstood me, Alcyona. !
may nave trIfied Win others, but never
with you," TOm was saying. II love
you, and you only. l ask you i'll ali
honor and sincerity to be my wife.
surely, my w0rus are plain enough"
"And mine, also," returned Alcyona.
~ re ret it, but do not love you"
Tom looked bewildered.
"Imposslbl isl mean, are
you-you are not mistaken? l have
watched you as only lover can, and
| have seen-"
"Do you mean to say that you are bet-
ter informed on the subject than ~ de-
manded A cyona, with some asperity.
"No, of course not; but IN tlme-you
might learn-mlght1
"Imposslble P'
"Why? We are all human, and there.
fore mutable. 4ou-n
"Slr," Interrupted Alcyona, "there is
an obstacle, ana an ms surmoautable one,
between u.s."
II 10 not believe In insurmountable
obstacles"
"Hear what it is. L am to be married
in two weeks to the man l have always
loved"
The artful, designing, puss-faced, little
hypOcrlLe! l was struck,
AS 1or Gertle, what do you think she
aldY Just flung her arms around nv
neck, and kissed me with all her might.
"BIess herV' she exclaimed, as soon
as she recovered breath. "That is the
secret that has puzz ed us all SO; but
who would have dreamed she could
have kept 30 still aboutit?'
AS that was the way she looked at it,
OF course, the less l said about it the
better; but l started Tor Newport that
very night, leaving AlcyOna placid as
usual, Geftie triumphant, aud Tom
wllted. The rest OF The summer flirted
more vehemently than ever with the ill.,
tie South Carollnian, aired all my panta-
looms, and recovered something like nv
ordinary state OF mind before returning
TO the city. There found on my table
an envelope of suspicious and satin-nke
smoothness, bearing the initial s., and
containing the cards of Mr.. and Mrs.
stannerd, and Miss Gertrude Lee. IL
heaved sigh, and from hencetorth
think OF Tom without raucor. Sne has
got him. Poor fellow