The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-19
9uasrsnn gatelligemssr.
MOgE PROVEN. = 20 7: 4.
CHAPTER I.


on that bright winter morning. Tiptoe,
holly, her glossy hair falling from aer
fair face over her seal-skin jacket, aud
her violet eyes sparkling, was May Vest
leigh, the rector's daughter, willis within
few feet of her, watching aer efforts
with much amusement and a vast amount
of admiration, stood Thomas Mildmay,
handsome young muscular Christian, at
tired in tweed suit and felt hat. Sud.
denly the latter burst forth:
at iE the rectors daughter,
And she has grown 30 dear, so dear,
That would be the jewel
That trembles in her ear"
"Don't be absurd, Tom," interrupted
the lady. "You are gallant gentleman,
truly, to see female in distress and not
aid her."
"Have I not offered sig times at least,
May, and been refused ?"
"And will be again, sir. This is the
most lovely piece of holly i have seen
this season, and nm determined that no
other fingers than mine shall touch it,
until I give it to my dear Jack, when he
comes this evening. They don't grow
holly in India, do they Tom?'
"No, think not"
"Then it will be welcome offering to
an English heart. Oh! how glad, how
very glad, I shall be to see the dear old
fellow"
"If you speak so enthusiastically, May,
'pon my word ! shall be jealous" re.
marked the gentleman.
"Jealcus-youi and Jack? Nonsense.
Why, Tom, I love him like brother
We were brought up. you know, as chill.
dren together"
$50 he told mo, May, when we met in
India, and he gave me the letter of intro.
duction to the rector. Indeed" pro.
ceeded Thomas Mildmay, still inspecting
the gathering of the holly, which persist.
emily clung to its parent stem, che spoke
80 necessarily about you that / fancied-"
spray what, sir?"
"That there existed o deeper affection
than brothers and sisters, May"
(Which shows how you were deceived.
Talking of women jumping at hasty con.
clusioDs Men are thcIsand times
worse. There, after ell you must lend
me your knife, TEN tho branch will not
break, 1t is SO tough"
Thomas Mildmay produced i, again,
offering his services, which, notwith.
standing the obatiaacy of the holly, wero
again rejected.
"Cut upward, not downward, May" he
cried, suddenly stepping forward; "tho
knife is sharp"
The warning came too late; the keen
blade had flashed through the tough
fibers, and penetrated Mays slender
finger.
Ii was not very serious cut, but stiff.
cieutly 80 TO cause the blood to leap forth.
The cry she uttered was echoed by her
companion, whose arm quickly encircled
her dainty waist as he caught her hand
in his.
20 dearest" ne exclaimed in concern,
"why 0id you not permit mef"
Because" answered May, q little pale,
II sc id no one should touch this branch
but myself, Tom, and no Que shall. But
see n and she held the holly toward him
There is blood upon it, aud j. is bad
omen."
He glanced at the 5ough, and truly,
fallen Gil It, IS bright IS che berries
themselves, were tho crimson drops.
"Bad omen, Meyp he laughed, wrap.
ping her wounded finger in his handker.
chief. "What childishness! Why, you
are absolutely pale. Pom my word,
your concern for Jack is already making
me Jealous"
"Don't let 1t do that, Tom," she said
bravely.
II am sure you love me so truly that,
wore You Jealous Of any one, ] imagine
that you would not be answerabio for
your actions" ~ ,- @
He caught her in his arms and. pressed |
o kiss on her smooth cheek.
"My darling, yoR are right" be replied !
grayely, in bis turn. "If I thought I !
sl,onlA lose yon, or another was seeking /
10 win you from me, / think I should
either kill him or myself"
"Now you are talking pure nonsense,
Tom, dear. Let us 60 in,n she laughed,
and, taking his arm, they moved over
the crisp, frosty lawn to the quaint did
rectory, q very Jack In the green Of ivy
which encitcled its highest gables. But,
even during che embrace, May had kept
the holly branch from coming in contact
with Thomas M;ldmay, and did SO still.
Was this TN omen too?
CHAPTER II. .4sI
The clear winters morning had given
place TO bleak, wintry night, and the
snow dashed sharp and cutting into the
faces Of the rector and his old pupil,
John Westmacott, as they whiEled along
the dreary Scottish road from the railway
station to the rectory.
"NoT, Doctcr," exclaimed Jack, nier-
Fily, "let me take the reinB while you tell
me the news. Remember the road9
aye, every etone Of 1t, as If I had travelled
1t but yesterday. How kind it was in
you on such O night to como and meet
me. How jolly I feel to see old Caiht-
ness egain. What song IL that May used
to sing about there being no place like
homer Neither ID there. And how Is Il
her heart! Older, Of course;
and pretty, will sE~sear."
"Well all the change you will find in
her, JaeE, iar The hotter /; alld q 5haSo
one piScs nf news chat will EnEpGises you,
EssscchsEa k..s Z ehinE will deaveiE fae
May herself to tell, or your own eyes to
read"
Why did John Westmacott start and
grow anxiously nervous for that neWg
and no other?
.Nay, doctor,n he remarked, "remem.
ber how 10. long have ss1; been 9 aWsy, and
1t concern-concern MayS"
''Yeg, Jack. She is engaged to be
marrled.p ts& NAN
John Westmaccts gripped the Feins 90
fhasply that the hoTsc reared. It gave |
excuse for his temporary silence; then |
rather huskily came the interrogation |
ITO whom, doctor?n
"Your friend, Thomas Miidmay." assf
my friend p muttered the, ex-pupil |
between his teeth; "curse him 70 Then |
aloud: "HQW long has she been engaged /