Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16


ing was the matter, and tried to
convince myself that the name was
q common one. n.
Again and again we heard of this
same Mr., Neville, and my heart be-.
gan to be torn with doubts and sus-
plcions and very demon ofjealousy
seemed to take possession of my
breast. / felt assured that Bella was
IN love with him and that he was
Edgar Neville of my alteration; all
that she stated of his appearance
and family were convincing.
At length letter came addressed
in a manly hand to Uncle Ritsop,
with Edgar's welI-known crest upon
the seal. 1t was . proposal for my
Cousins hand.
NY head swan round, but l sum.
moned courage to ask Mr.. Neville's
Christian name. He had merely
signed j. e. Neville.
Alb, that was it, sure enough
John Edgar
| had my back. towards my nncle
standing in the doorway, as / asked.
No one noticed how l staggered into
the hall or how / snatched my hat
from the stand and darted up the
mountain side to cool my fevered
brow and still my throbbing pulses.
How l went or whore l went. /
could never remember. / have some
recollection of falling as | bounded
across a beck, of old Elspa's face
bending over me, and then no more.
until | found myself in my own
snowy bed with Winnie watching
me and an array of physic bottles on
the window seat.
Elspa found me where had fallen
halfin, half out of the stream. I'm
able to drag me thence she had sum-
moned help with sh.ill whistle
which she kept suspended to her
girdle, the note of which no shepherd
dared disobey.
1t brought a couple Of shepherds
to the spot. My limbs were lifted
out OF the stream-she had already
bathed my brow aud plastered nv
temple-and then / was carried
slowly down to interrupt the ans wer
Uncle Ritson was sending to Bella
and Mr.. Neville.
My fall and immersion were ac.
credited with the prolonged fever
which almost Dafffed my uncle's
skill. If any one suspected other.
wise it waa old Elspa. but she was
too wise to revert to the subject
when she came to see me ere my
very slow was nay recovery. re-
tarded no doubt by the scraps Win
ME read to me as pleasant news from
ner sister'a letters. II was now ed.
die this. or Eddie that; and as |
shut my eyes and ground my teeth,
the better to endure, felt indignant
that my noble-fronted Edgar should
have o pet name like baby To me
he had the majesty of a monarch.
How could she address him so?
l was down stairs before Christ
mas came, BILE and willing to assist
my aunt in her multitudinous prep
arations, and tried to smile and look
gratIfied during the Christmas mer-
ry-making.
l heard, but hardly seemed to
realize, that Bella was to be married
earlyin the new year, and that she
and her husband would come to
spend the honeymoon with Us. and
l was doing my best to nerve N.Y.
self for the meeting.
The old year was closing in. Ell
spa-who else 2-came up to the
house with letter she had found w.
ing in by-road. 1t should have
been delivered come days previous
ly; and it was supposed that the
postman had taken more drink than
was good for him during the Christ
mas 'cardings' and dropped it by the
way.
Goodnessl how that letter stunned
me. Bella was by that time mar.
RED. She and her husband were to
be with us on New Years day, and
they should bring with them a New
Years gift for Cousin Adela, as a
thank Offering for bringing them to-
gether. Ttoir photographs were in.
closed.
l only saw one. Yes it was Ed.
gar's. There was no mistake.
The house was in hustle of pre-
paraticn. Again l slipped out to hide
my agony and prepare myself for
the coming trial.
Dreamily l went along / saw
nothing before me but that meeting
on the morrow and the revelation it
was sure to bring. My mind seem.
ed a chaos in which thought was
lOst.
All at once / found myself on the
reedy margin of the lake as the sil>
yer circle of the moon was rising
above the mountain tops. And here
| stood looking on the dark waters.
while something seemed to whisper
to me that there was peace; that /
need not meet the proud bride uniess
! chose; that | might hide sorrows
and secrets there and none to be the
wiser.
My foot was on the brink. There
was a step on the stones behind me.
| turned; and | think my half-form-
ed purpose was visible in my face as
| once more confronted old Eispa,
weird and witch like IN the moon
light, a warning finger held up.
Sharp were her words, eharp as
my need. She babe me go down on
my knees and thank God that He
had sent her TO save me from nv
third peril-the peril of body and
soul. What was i pulling over :?
What right hand l to fling away the
life that was given for the service of
others? How dared | tempt death,
loving the creature more than the
Creator? She had heard me raving
to the winds when / thought N.Y.
self alone, and had kept a watch up
on me. And she babe me go back
home, and pray to be forgiven, and