The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-22
ness of her weakness for him made

Letltia avoid him.
He visited at Mr.. Marsh's frequently
and Miss Isabel Marsh was very gen
orally supposed to be the attraction. In
deed, the young lady herself was very
sanguine of her success in winning the
gallant colonel, and on one occasion
She was gushin gly girlish enough to as
sure Aunt Letitia that when she was the
mistress of the new house which the
colonel was building about five miles of
nothing would afford her more pleasure
than to give her "dearest aunt" home
there.
When the snow fell Colonel St. Albans
invited party of his friends to the new
house for a sort OF "house-warming
supper, Letitia among the rest. At first
she thought she would not 60, but Isabel
declared it would look "oc d." and peo-
ple would think that she had not for
gotten that "old romantic episode" and
NJ IS Letitia decided not to give ''peo-
pie" any chance to tax.
The colonel proposed to introduce the
American amusement of sledging, Tor
he had several sledges on purpose.
Isabel went with the colonel in his own
sledge, and was rs happy as queen, and
all the other girls were ready to die of
envy. The sledging was none of the
best, for new snow had fallen and the
weather had not yet cleared. The wind
was blowing furious.y and the mir was
thick with flying snow. Somehow, in
the darkness, the colonePs horse man
aged to upset the sledge, and in con-
sequence half-dozen more sledges
shared the same fate, and half the merry
party were mixed up together in mex
tricable confusion.
The decentralization was of course
hurried, particularly on the part of
Colonel St. Albans, who had q restive
horse, and ene quite indisposed to wait
patiently for passengers in such furious
wind as was then raging.
They had gone full mile, the colonel
holding the reins with both hands, when
he heard low and tremulous voice
saw, Pardon me, Colonel St. Albans,
but 1 fear you have taken the wrong
passenger"
GOOD Heavenm he cried, in strong
agitation, "Letitiaw
"Yes. Do not be offended; l was not
to blame for it. The snow blinded me,
and I thought surely you were brother
John" -,
Through the tiger-skins he had
wrapped around her St. Albans was
sure he felt her tremble. He drew
closer to her side, moved by some un-
comfortable impulse to speak what was
in his heart.
"Letitia," he said, hoarsely, "once we
were not strangers"
But that time is past" i.
"Ycs."h he said, bitterly; "your caprice
ruined my happiness and made me dis
satisfied and useless wanderer."
"My caprice" she said, slowly. q
do not understand"
Letitia was growing dizzy, and the
world of snow spun round and round be-
fore her bewildered eyes. lie turned
upon her sharply.
You don't understand! Then let me
explain. Why did you not answer my
letter?-the letter in which / told you
that loved you-in which I asked you
to be nv wife. was coward, Letitia
Love made me distrust myself, else
should surely have spoken to you in
stead of writing. But I wrote, and I
asked you to answer me rs you felt, and
told YOU that if you rejected me you
need only keep silent. And you kept
silent"
"That letter never reached me-" she
said, family. w .
ut did not? But if it had-if it had?'
His hand sought hers, all unmindtul
of his horse: and the animal took the
liberty of deciding on its own course and
went off in the very opposite direction
from the right one; but St. Albans did
not observe it. He was too intent on
'Lethia to observe the horse.
II loved you. Gerard" she said, softly.
"My answer could have been nothing
but that"
"My darling, change that form of ex-
pression!" lie cried, eagerly. "Say, I
love you, Gerardn"
And she said it, with his lips holding
hers 50 close they dared not make mis-
take in the words lie dictated. But she
added Immediately, " 1t is too late to
dream these dreams, Gerard. l am too
old"
lie laughed gleefully,
Just four years younger than your
Methusaleh of lover!" said he, press
ing her closer to his heart. 1T is all
right now, dearest; and l thank Heaven
for sending me the wrong passenger, for
she is the right one after all"
Of course the girls were all greatly
surprised at the turn affairs had taken,
and were ready to exc)aim against the
imprudence of that lawfully designing
old maid" but Letitia was so happy she
could afford to be talked about; and
love, the great rejuvenator, made her
young again.