Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-06-13

She was silent for a few moments AZ
ter they began their drive.
~Fennel?" 7t-tHi e. .at..

ter they began their drive.
"Fennel!'' Is 7'-i"i '- as.
"Wellr' '.h
"Are you going away!"
"Yes." -. ~. ...-..
| "Why, tell me. please ...
| That was all. She did not dare pre-
tend not TO understand. him. Boil
faces were pale. lie turned toward
her at last, smiling family. .fs
"fes. Berthe, you don't need me AM
longer, and am going away TO try ..
hard ~ ! can 70 forget you. 1t i.
strange that such sweet-eyed CIR
should cause so much pain, isn't It 2
Bertrode didn't speak. They rode
in silence along the river road. Bcr.
trode was listening, as il charmed, to
the chirping of little bird among the
scrub oaks by the river II was a
hearty, CHEEKY little bird that seemed
10 have no nonsense about it.
The road grew narrower. The tree
branches met above their heads and
gradually grew lower. Fennel put out
his whip TO hold them out Of their
faces. The motion startled the horse
or he might have been twanged BY
the springing sprays. He leaped sud-
denly forward, and Bertrode was flung
from the carriage and down the steep
bank into the river.
Slammed by the shock. she fioated
like corpse. Ii she had seen Fennel
Goulds face, then, she would have
wondered, even though she believed
that she knew his love. lie drew u
the prancing horse and flung himself
from the carriage. Dashing down the
declivity, he threw himself into the
river.
The tide was rapid. Already the
hsure OF the drowning girl, half sub.
merged, was floating into the middle of
The current. Their. were strong, fierce
rapids, quarter of mile below, and
The tide swept them both toward it.
Fennel Gould expended every resource
oil body and heart in that struggle for
lie and love. She noated on-on-
before him in the flowing water, until
The great beads Of agony and pain
stood upon his forehead. But one fort.
lnate stroke and he caught her scarf. /
lie struggled back 10 land and fell
exhausted upon the bank For mo-
nent be lay there, painting then rising
he lifted Bertrode into the carriage,
md carried home the life he had saved.
Evening came, Fennel was at home
pacing thoughtfully the floor Of his lit
lie chamber. 1t was twilight, aud the |
cent OF the ripe apples in the orchard !
HE'D the dim room. He did not notice
'ither, but he was reused suddenly by
knock at his door. II was Willie
Dodge with a note. He opened it. 1t
'orc these words:
"fennel, come home with Willie. .uI
hild. Holding the boys hand, he
walked the fields he had walked
month before with his heart bitter as
ue. The crickets were singing among
he grasses. A strange lightness pos
essed him, and yet he kept putting
lown his heart-not daring to hope.
rhe farmhouse door was open and
3ertroje was sitting in the porch. Lat
lie Willie went into the house. Fen
,el sat down on the step
What do you want, Bertrodc|
IL will tell you by and by"
The twilight grew more dim as they
.alked of unimportant things. until
hey could not see each others faces.
The crickets were singing hundreds OF
songs in the grasses by the roadside.
A long time passed and at last Fen.
mel rose.
II, is time TO 90, Bertrode. Will |
you tell me now?
The moon came up and showed her |
face pale and her lips tremulous, but |
she stood up by his side and spoke !
firmly.
II want to ask you not TO 20 away, !
Fennel. Don't co.
There seemed more TO be said, but
she could no, say it. Her voice died
on her lips, and the eager light in Fen.
mel Gould's eyes faded.
81 cannot stay. Bertrode; don't be
troubled to pity me. Goodbye. and
God keep you, dear, forever
He stopped to kiss her. Her arms
we're around his neck.
"My love, my love-" she cried,
"dont leave me. l want you; you
make me happy. And have never.
never loved any but you, dear heart
Take my life-you have saved it-and
spare me the one you risked in my SAL
walton. will try to make it happy
but indeed, Fennel, l am not worthy
Of you"
Heart TO heart, at last; Heavens
angels bless tAem.