The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-09-19

her with a distant bow. be supposed
that WestOn's presence was the cause
of hers.
The fOrding place was q little high
now from recent fains the water was
muddy, too, so one could not see the
bottom, which right there was q level
rock extending across the stream, and
was several yards wide, but which
had an offset Of q number of feet; yet
in the muddy, high water it WAS safe
enough il one kept ones eye on the
road at the opposite side and drove
straight for It.
Lloyd was going over last, so Nellie
waited purpOsely 10 go In the last
buggy load. They were not half over
before the horse, frightened at the
splashing behind il, reared, plunged,
upset and left the driver and Nellie in
fair way to be drowned. The driver
helped himself Lloyd was at NelIie's
side in an instant.
To Nellie the chill OF the water
seemed like the visible presence OF
death. She did not scream ; she be-
lieved she would drown, and the only
pang to her was the thought that she
would die unrecOnciled to her hus-
band. But the thought had scarcely
become one ere the strong arms and
nerves of Lloyd WhitlOW had saved
her. His heart went out TO her when
he caught sight Of her biOOdIess face
turned SO beseechingly toward him.
They stood alone on the edge OF the
rocks in the middle OF the water.
Nellie spoke first:
"LlOyd," she said, "yOu will forgive
me. l am not SO guilty as you sup-
pose. love you, so / came down
here to find you. And oh, Lloyd"
as she saw his face sOftening toward
her, ''yOU do love me, too you can
not say no w
He laid his hand on the little fin
gers quivering so piteOusly, remem-
bered himself, and Grew away. His
voice was hard as he said:
"I might have listened to you and
believed an explanation possible, IL I
had not found you with him to-day" )"
"Then why did you not leave me
die :" she mOaned. "Why did you
save my life to torture me ?T
And she commenced sObbing.
woman, this is acting. Have
done with it :" was the husbands
only answer.
Her excited sobs came faster. A
gIesm of pity came into his eyes he
hurried with her TO the shore,
wrapped her in shawIs provided by
the company, placed her in q carriage
and told the driver to hurry with her
to the hotel, six miles distant; he
would follow on horseback. As he
put her out OF his arms, her great
pleading eyes were turned toward
him, searching for some faintest look
of affection, some faint recognition of
all that she had been to him. But
finding none, the anguish Of her dis
appointment broke forth in a single
wOrd-''Lloyd !"
10 his dying day he never forgot
that cry. A slight culver about the
mouth, quailing OF the eye we're all
the signs he gave that he heard her.
She knew that 1t was all over be-
tween them. One thought took pos
session of her TO act so that the
company would suspect nothing. So
she declared herself restored upon
their arrival at the hotel, and insisted
upon going with the party into the
cave.
At one o'clock they started, with
lighted candles and guides. Weston
kept near Nellie WhitIOw was here,
everywhere. He had become inter-
ested at last in some magnificent
stalactites aud his party got far ahead
of him. He discovered this and hur-
ried after them. He could
see their lights in the distance.
When nearly up to them his candle
went out. He went saunteriDg along
until he came within hearing OF the
two nearest him, and recognized his
wife and Weston.
"YOu cannot deny" Weston was
saying, "that you have encouraged
me to think that you cared for me,
Nellie, and by heaven you shall not
say so now %
"I confess to have done wrong.
was so afraid / did not possess my
husbands whole heart. that / deter
mined to test his love for me by try
ing to make him Jealous"
$50 you made cats paw Of me
Very kind OF you. May l ask what
prompted you to select me ?"
because you were respectable
enough in the eyes of the world to
make it look right, and you were IN.
prineipIed enough to make it practi.
cable, and hesrtless enough to have
no feeling in the matter"
"Then you love your husband ?n
"LOve him ? / idOIiZe him
would give my life to occupy the
place | did in his heart a month ago.
love him so we'll that l cannot i'm
agine how heaven can be heaven
without him :"
THAT is enough, Mrs. Whitlow.
believe that you will enjoy yourself
more in his company than In mine
so will step ahead and send hin
back to you"
| Weston went on, when out of the
darkness 8 pair OF arms encircled her
Nellie looked up terrOr-stricken, anC
saw the face Of her husband, wearing
so different q look that she knew ht
had heard all.
''Nellie, darling. you are my Owl
pure wife, after all, but you were very
indiscreet."
81 was trying to make you Jeal
Ous."
"And you succeeded with a ven
gesnce. l never thought that my
love needed that trial"
"But you acted so differently from
what you did before we were frs
married.
81 was your lover then, Nellie"
"Yes, Lloyd" she said, as she clunl
closer to him ; land you are infinite
ly more to me nOw-yOu are my hus
band"
81 believe I understand you" b
said with a smile. "What you ask
easily given; suppose l cOmmenc
now," and Lloyd WhitlOw clsspeu
his little wife to his breast and nearl,
covered her with kisses.
Thank God, Lloyd, that we ono
more understand each other! / wi
repay you the pain 1 have cost yO
by lifetime devotion"
(which l must encourage by q Iii
tie petting now and then, eh ~
"Hes, Lloyd, please"
That excursion party thought in tn