The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-07-30
NO. 81.

once seated, some one took her basket
from her tired hands and held it, nod
ding and smiling as much as to say -
" You see have taken the liberty"
AS for Florence, she was startled at
the intensity of her emotions. She had
never before admitted the thought of
love, but now some strange, sublime in
stinct told her that she had met her
fate. For a few short moments she
yielded to the pleasure Of this dawning
but exquisite happiness, when suddenly
dull, quick sense of pain made her
breathless. The light was SO placed (for
the sun had set) that 1t threw a strong
reflection upon the cracked mirror at the
opposite end of the car, and there, dis
torted by the flaw, no doubt, yet looking
hideously sullen, sat Willis, apparently
watching her conversation with her
new friend. The baIeful fires of jealousy
burned in his eyes, his brow was black
and lowering. At once her comfort was
destroyed ; feeling of uneasiness crept
into her heart-a dim presentiment of
coming evil. Ostensibly Willis was
reading his newspaper-in reality study
ing her face, and drawing his own in
ferences from her mpanionship. Sud
denly the paper was folded, the young
man arose, turned and moved unsteadi-
ly toward her. Arriving at her seat, he
stopped and bowed-bowed also to the
stranger to whom he had been intro
duced-and leaning against the back of
the next scat, he directed his attention
to Florence.
" 1t is quite an unexpected pleasure to
meet you here. Wasn't it rather sud-
den arrangement, this excursion ?-fOrI
suppose you have had picnic in the
woods"
1t was rather sudden, said Florence,
quietly, biting her lips, CALLED at the
patronizing manner he had assumed.
"Will you have this seat 2'' asked the
Englishman, politely.
Willis declined, but kept his position,
chatting to Florence, talking upon such
subjects that the stranger must have felt
himself uneomfortably in the way until
the cars stopped at the station. Then he
insisted upon doing the honors, took pos
session of Florence and her basket,
wished the Englishman goodnight as il
he had been defrauding him, and accom-
panied her home. Their walk was O.
silent one Willis had gradually worked
himself into fit of Jealous desperation.
have no doubt you enjoyed your
day immensely" he said, as they neared
the door of their residence.
Never BETTER" said Florence, very
shortly.
We do not always know whom
we become acquainted with at such
places"
You forget we were all acquainted"
said Florence.
presume so; you seemed quite
chatty and confidential with your friend
of yesterday"
don't know that was particularly
confidential / certainly did enter
into conversation with our minister's
guest. presume 1 need not ask your
saetion in such matters"
oh no-of course not,'' he replied
briefly and bitterly 'or in any other,
as to that"
:" certainly shall not, ;" said Florence
and there was shade Of contempt in
her voice.
No answer; but Willis rang the DELL
with such violence that two of the SER
wants came running to the door, fearful
that their master was certainly brought
home either dead or dying. Florence
entered, indignant = Willis followed,
angry, and furiously jealous. He could
scarcely overmaster his passion. He
ragged up and down the parlors, after she
had gone to her room, like wild pam
ther he did not know, himself, but he
should go mad-certainly such passions
had never possessed him before. For
ward and back with a fierce tramp,
shoulders set square, teeth locked, eyes
glaring, and hands clenched, he ragged
cursing in his heart = using the most
awful imprecations against his Maker,
against Florence, against the stranger,
toward whom, If she had smiled on him
but once, he felt the most murderous in
clinations. Oh it was terrible, this loss
of selfpossession but more awful the
loss of that which he had staked his
very soul to win. Strangely enough, he
had thought that his patient persistence
| must at length be rewarded Trusting