Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-10-08

Yes, he had recognized the signal and fol-
lowed her.
The train was just due to start, and she
hastily jumped into a 6rstclass carriage.
A gentleman jumped in after her.
"Faithless fellow I" she thought
Constance" said tremulous voice at
her side" dearest Constance"
"You wretch - cried Theresa, suddenly
unveiling.
But the effect was not what she antici-
pated. IL was not her husband at all IL
was Captain Potter, late of the Plungers.
II is now necessary to revert to The pro-
ceedings of Mr.. Black to account for his
presence on the scene.
Ernest had intended TO take the news
paper up to town with him. having been in
terested in an article he had not time TO
finish. But having, with his customary
carelessness, left it behind him, he bought
another at the station, and then the adver-
tisement caught his eye" Constance TO
Ernest" Yes, he knew what it meant.
Ernest Black and Ernest Potter had been
schoolfelows and cronies in early days but
their fellowship had long since decayed.
Potter was reckless spendthrift, who had
been obliged to leave the Plungers and sell
his commission, swamped with innumerable
debts. He had been an old friend of the
Browns, too, and Constance had formerly
been infatuated with him but her father,
who was very violent, self-willed old fel-
low, swore that she should never marry such
| a scamp.
| Constance had a rice little fortune OF her
own, and she had just come of age, so that
il she persisted in throwing herself and her
fortune away, there was no help for it. Still
| Ernest thought it was his duty to stop it If
he could. He fattered himself that he had
some influence over Constance; and il he
couldn't put an end to the affair altogether,
he might yet prevail upon her TO have all
her money carefully tied up.
The advertisement meant an elopement,
Ernest thought-a clandestine marriage,
and the sacrifice of a girls future to a worth
, less scamp. lie would be there, too, and
save her if he could.
At all events he found himself on the
platform of Victoria station at noon. All
there was Captain Potter, as he expected,
stalking up and down, evidently expecting
somebody. Ernest didn't take any note Of
him and Potter seemed anxious on his part
to avoid any recognition. But there was no
Constance. He kept, however, sharp look
out on the captain, and, all of sudden, he
noticed that his eyes lit up, and turning
quickly round, Ernest saw lady in deep
mourning pass into the booking Office.
Potter now took up position close by the
wicket that opened to the departure plat
form where the man stood who punched
holes in the tickets Presently lady in
black brushed rapidly past Ernest fol.
lowed her a few PAGES to assure himself it
was not Constance Brown. No; the lady
was of quite different carriage and figure
from Constance-more like his own wife,
he said, with Jealous pang that he laughed
at himself next moment for feeling Who
ever it was, she jumped into the carriage,
and the captain after her. The guard
whistled off the train, and Ernest turned
away thinking that he had been rather
fool for his pains.
Then he saw another young widow gaz-
ing eagerly about her and running here and
there, evidently looking for some one she
couldn't find. At last, apparently over
come with emotion or fatigue she flung her.
self upon a bench and hastily threw up her
veil revealing the pretty, agitated face OF
Constance Brown.
Ernest sprang toward her.
"Constance," he whispered, "you here,
and in this disguise what does it mean p
Constance burst into tears, and sobbed
out that she didn't know.
at know" he said, severely; "you have
du dRTteIltuJ VIII Judt iuiduiOuo oeeoi'
"Infamous, indeed" said Constance
:" and he has gone off with somebody else" /"
At this moment man in livery ap-
preached and touched his hat to Ernest. 1t
was his own coachman, an old and faithful
servant who had been coachman to Ernests
father.
"Beg your pardon, Mr.. Ernest, for com
ing up here without leave, but have you
seen the mistress, sir p
"No. What do you mean ?"
"Well, sir, she drove to the station after
you left, sir, and she seemed so wild like
and unaccountable that | made bold to fol-
low her for fear she might come to harm
aud | followed her here, sir, where she
changed dress for widows weeds, and got
into the Brighton train, sir, with Captain
Potter"
Ernest turned pale and tainted.
He recovered himself with great effort.
al know" he cried. "I sent her TO
Brighton, and have just seen her off. How
dare you follow your mistress, sir 2"
The man turned away in blank dismay.
Ernest" said Constance, "we have both
been deceived"
"Stuff I" said Ernest, sit was a trick
we played you, that's all we found out the
plot, aud counter-plotted to save you"
I
heart. What could it all mean?
"Come into the waiting-room, Constance
: he cried, "and let us talk. Ah what
: miseryl" he muttered to himself.
"What do you intend TO do Ernest p
said Constance, clutching him by the arm
: at is all very well to tell your servant such
stories. / admire you for it, Ernest but
know better. 1t is deliberately planned
We are both deceived"
alt is impossible" said Ernest.
"How blind you are" said Constance
al always mistrusted Theresa; she was m,
early friend, you remember, and l believ'
s that Potter used to come to our house oI
t purpose to see her, using me as blind. oh
; Ernest, what shall we do ?"
d al shall call special train and follow
0 them" cried Ernest.
"Then will go with you," cried Con
stance.
+ Ernest rose and staggered to the platform
once more.
: ernest !" said decisive, feminine voc'
o at his elbow.
!. He turned, and beheld his wife and Capt
Potter.
"Hulloi" cried Potter. Ernest, my boy
a how are you I've got into a pretty mes
!. with all this ambuscading; wrong part,
I after all, jolly row, pull the string, stop th'
j. train-Clapham Junction, guard in awfu
II rage. Give us into custody, eh :? Ha, ha
a Here we are again, back first train.
a say, old fellow, I'll just change window
u with you"
o "Come into the waiting-room," crie'
l. Black, "and tell what it all means. Potter
l. | consider you an unpriucipled fellow L
5, inveigle this young lady into such trap
Z You know you only want to waste her FOL
% tune as you've wasted your own."
l. "Gently, old fellow" said Potter, all
's mistake. My uncle died last week and lef
d me three thousand year"
"Then why do you make of in this clar
3, destine way Z"
d ats all right, Black, assure you. Nv
'r got special license in my pocket, parse
1t waiting at Brighton. We're both OF ag'
you know"
g "Then why all this disguise ?"
y "Oh, that was my doing" sobbed Cor
'r stance. 81 was 50 dreadfully afraid Q
u papa"
"And how didyou get the widows thing
u Constance 7"
;" F-from-your-AuntB Blake. 1t WASH
d very wicked, was it 7"
s. ~ think" said Theresa, who had reco'
of cred her equanimity and her usual aspect @
i, proud serenity, al think, Constance, 20
he had better come back to Shrublands wit
IS me, and be married in respectable, orderl