Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-08-01
to her head with dazed feeling, and

TO her head with dszed feeling, ana
thought
rs ii possible | am the girl VIII,
came out here not half hour ago?
thought poor fool. that L was goln.
down TO new life; and so / did," sh,
moaned, bitterly, Ito life that l wisi
death would this minute free me from
The worst of all is that he could no
but see that loved him; and he piriet
me. But can remedy that" she ex
claimed, after few minutes of dee,
thought. "Pll cause him to think tha
he is mistaken. Tomorrow I'll accep
Clarence Preston. He will get all thai
he seeks-my hand and money
Heavens! what life to lead; but car
endure ii; anything is better than tC
know that he Is plying me. Oh, Louis
Louis, my first, my last, my only love
shall 1 ever be able TO cast you out OF
my heartc''
The next day Clarence Preston re.
ceived note from Miss Austin, asking
him TO call that evening.
WELL" he said, as he entered the
room where she was waiting TO receive
him, "the fates are propitious; am to
have one more interview with YOU il
seems
Yes" said Nettie, strictly busi-
ness one.''
Il am all attention; proceed"
DO you remember what | told you
the last time we metz
Il shall not be very apt 10 forget il, -
he replied, as his face darkened.
Il have changed nv mind since then
Mr.. Preston.
You surely do not mean, Nettie
Austin, that you will be nv wife -
THAT is exactly what | do mean. -
my own darling
There, Mr.. Preston, that will suffice
You are poor actor, and will excuse
you from that part of the ceremony. IL
suits you TO marry me; ii suits me to
marry you. This is all there is OF it.
We are both too sensible to go in rap
lures over so commonplace an affair, ,
$50 be it, Miss Austin, if it pleases
you best"
Thank you; and now, As l have ac-
cOmplished what l wanted IN sending
for you, you will excuse me from en-
tertaining you this evening, and after
ward call at your pleasure. -
Certainly" he said, rising 10 go,
Il shall come and go at your bidding,
and be only too happy to be able to
oblige you. Good-evening.
Clarence Preston was rising young
lawyer of the place. Ambitious and
poor, anxious TO build himself up more
rapidly than his limited means would
allow, he coveted Miss Austin s fortune
and had long been suitor for her
hand. No encouragement had he ever
received from her until the night that
she gave herself to him.
Nettie Austin felt that by engaging
herself she accomplished all that she
had intended her marriage to do: so
she concluded TO defer that as long as
possible.
1.-The last month of her freedom" 4"
as she termed it, was spent in Cleve-
land. On her homeward trip, the train
she was on went down a broken bridge.
She was dragged out and carried away
in half-conscious state, with this wish
uppermost in her mind: that she had
passed from earth and escaped the
dreary life that awaited her.
She was cared for, and when asked
to tell the name of some friend whom
she wished sent for, she gave the name
and address of the only one that occu-
pied her thoughts now.
Louis Stab came in answer TO the
telegram.
.sWho has sent for me ?'' he asked on
his arrival.
"A lady. Stepi in that room across
the hall, and see if you recognize her"
Another minute and he was in the
presence of the woman he loved.
MY Godr' he exclaimed. 'It is
Miss AUSTIN
She heard his voice, and turned her
head toward him, while her face grew
perfectly radiant with happiness.
"Do you know me?" he asked, as he
took her hand.
"Know you? Certainly. | feel as
though had been in new world for a
few days. 1t only needed the light of
a face that knew to bring me back
again. / know what has happened;
but how came you here?"
Didn't you send for mel"
''Send for you! You are the last
person in the world that would have
sent for"
He looked at her a moment, and
thought that she was never half so dear
to him as she was then in her helpless
ness, with that sad, tired look in her
ewes. II was more than he could do 10
keep from saying
ssMiss Austin, do you hate me?''
He was sitting beside her, and in
answer she reached up her thin, white
hand, and passed il caressingly through
MS dark hair.
He looked his surprise, while the
blood leaped through his veins, and
iooded his face, which was now bent
,ver hers, as he asked huskily,-
''Nettie, Nettie, what do you mean?'
That do not hate you," she said,
urning away her head.
.Fool-idiot-that am, he exclaimed
Is he drew away from her, ITO dream
or one second, that you could have
meant more?"
She looked at him now with wide
,pen eyes; the whole truth came to
Ter.
ssHe loves me-" she said joyously to
lerself. "He has loved me all along,
md would not tell me of it.
She reached out both hands this time
nd drew his face to hers, whispering
Il do mean more. Oh, Louis, Louis,