The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-04-17

your proceedings at present are exceed
ingly ridiculous, and now, instead of
your courting the lady, she seems to
court you"
As If to prove the truth of her asser-
ton, a carriage was heard to drive up
the lawn of a handsome villa at Stam-
ford Hill, where this conversation took
place, and the young lady continued
Z" / am sure it is Cecilia and now, un-
der the pretence of visiting the sister,
she comes to see the brother. Take my
word for it, Fred, shall never be so at
tentive to my future husband"
The gate opened, and Mrs. Chantry
entered the room. She was accompan-
led by Mr.. Williams, the companion
from boyhood of Frederick Brookes, and
very wealthy India merchant. Mrs.
Chantry, very handsome widow, twen-
ty-two years of age, made no disguise
of her affection for Frederick. 1t was
matter settled between them, that
both were in love. Their marriage had
been determined upon 1t had even been
publicly announced to the friends of
both parties; and now all that was
waited for, was the completion Of the
mere formalities of the marriage settle
ment, which Frederick could have, when
he pleased, completely arranged in few
days. Under the circumstances, why
then should the handsome young wild
ow be guilty of any affectationY She
would not be so. All breathed happiness
around her. Mr.. Williams wished the
young couple joy, and Emily, seeing her
brother smile at the idea of the coming
marriage, pressed upon him to fix day
for it.
1t shall be whenever Cecilia wishes
it, was the reply of the intended bride
groom.
Z" But then the lawyers-are they
ready with this odious settlement" ask
ed the widow.
The reply of the young broker was,
that all the difficulties on that point had
been put an end to, and that the license
might be procured in few hours.
"Thank Heaven - exclaimed Emily,
my brother at last consents to be
happyl"
From that moment all semblance of
restraint had vanished from the faces of
those in the drawing room of Mr..
Brookes. He himself appeared to have
forgotten all his cares, and the happiness
of the company was so complete, that
the clock struck twelve before he or they
seemed to know that an hour had passed
away. At that moment Brookes rose
and said:
Tomorrow is settling day on change;
/ have still several matters to arrange
before / can retire to rest.o'
And so it isl remarked Mr.. Will
Jams =" but to you settling day can
bring no sorrow"
Mrs. Chantry would have wished to
have retired also, but as Mr.. Williams
found the society of Miss Emily Brookes
particularly agreeable to him, he begged
she might remain some time longer I;
and the good natured widow, knowing
the motive for his request, willingly
consented to do so.
Frederick Brookes kissed his sister /;
he pressed with his lips the blushing
cheek of the pretty widow; he shook
hands cordially with his old school-fel-
low, Williams, and then parted with the
words, {" he was leaving all in this world
that he loved
The rooms peculiarly devoted to the
use of Frederick, at his villa on Stam-
ford Hill, were on the ground floor, and
might be divided into library, and an
adjoining chamber fitted up something
like an office, although there were in
troduced into it many of the convenien-
ces of a parlor. 1t was into this room
that BroolSes now entered. he took
from the case in which they had been
secured two small pocket pistols, and
placed them on table beside him. He
flung himself on sofa, and there, with
his head resting on pillow, and stretch
ed at full length, he seemed to be lost in
thought. His mind became distracted
by the intensity of his contemplations-
his brain whirled round amid conflicting
suggestions-the outer world became oh
scured to his vision-when his medita
tions were disturbed In the most extra
ordinary manner. A handkerchief was
stuffed into his mouth, and ina moment
afterwards he felt himself strapped dowr
to the sofa, so tightly and seclnely, tina
he could not stir limb. How this wal
done was incompreheusible to him unit