The Hickman courier., 1878-07-05

tine fellow, there's many slip 'twixt
the estf, ,-ss1asAaSs<.6pn nlEy nnds -
your cost; and then you will know the
consequences of standing in the way of
Fred Acton %
That evening, in her luxurious home,
Nellie watched and listened in vain for
the familiar footsteps she had learned to
know so well; and she retired to rest at
last, sad and dispirited, and with dim
sense of impending trouble, that was
yet too vague to shape itself into con-
nected thought.
The next morning. as the family were
gathered around the breakfast table, a
servant entered the room with note ad-
dressed to 60 Miss Pomeroy" Grasping
it eagerly, spasmodically, Nellie tore it
open, and with blanched face read the
following laconic note:
NELLIE: All is over between us.
Thank God, have discovered your per
idy before it WAS too late I had the
fullest confidence in you, Nellie but
that is past now.
leave for France tomorrow, never l
trust to revisit this country, which
would now be but a sad home for me.
Your once devoted lover,
GUY HARTLEY.
Mr.. and Mrs Pomeroy, occupied in
their own conversation, had not noticed
the sudden paling of their daughters
face, as she hurriedly scanned the ia
miliar writing, till, as she reached the
fatal termination, her eyes closed, and,
with low moan OF agony, she sank to
the floor in a death-lke swoon.
For FIVE years Guy wandered through
Europe for five years he vainly streve
to find forgetfulness and happiness in
constant excitement and changeof scene;
but failing in this, he had at last resolved
to visit again the land of his birth, if
only to mark the ravages which time
had made among his old friends. So he
returned to London.
Not once had a suspicion of Fred
Acton's treachery crossed his mind, for
to Guy he had always shown the better
part of his nature; besides, the proof of
Nellie's duplicity rad seemed too con
elusive to admit of any lingering doubt
his love might have suggested.
And Nellie? Thrown into a nervous
fever by the cruel note from Guy, she
wavered long between life and death
but, finally, her perfect constitution
gained the victory, and she again mingled
in the gay world Of fashion; but GER
tain sadness was perceptible in her man.
ner, and weary look in. her blue eyes
showed that her heart was not interested
in the gay scenes by whicn she was sur
rounded.
Vainly had Fred Acton sued for her
hand. Feeling that he was in some
manner connected with Guys mysterious
behaviour, she had only scorn to give
him. At first, she had hoped that some
trivial act of hers had displeased Guy,
and he would soon return, but as the
weeks rolled on and no word came from
the absent one, she finally ceased to ex-
pect him.
Fred Acton, after repeated refusals
from Nellie, had at last given up all
hopes of winning her hand; but loving
her still, as far as his selfish nature was
capable of loving, he attempted 70
drown his sorrow in the wine cup; and,
with drinking and fast horses, was rap
idly eating up the handsome property
left him by his father. One day, while
riding at break-neck speed, his horse,
frightened at futtering rag, SHE'D, and
threw him. When the hastily summon
ed physician had examined his wounds,
he pronounced him fatally injured.
Knowing, then, that for him all
thoughts of revenge on Guy were use
less, and that ne must soon render up an
/ account of his evil deeds, his thoughts
turned to Nellie, with feeble wish that
he could undo the wrong he had done
her. So he dictated letter, confessiDg
his sin, begging her forgiveness, and
containing the locket, and dispatched it
to the injured girl, who, true woman
that she was, could not but pity the dy-
ing man, bitterly as he had wronged her,
and, that he might not die thinking him
self unforgiven, sent note to the hotel
to which he had been carried, but the
messenger reached there only in time TO
hear that the unhappy Fred Acton had
breathed his last.
Guy had supposed that Nellie and