The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-07-31

to her cars the tale that Laura Bcamis
had claimed a former cquaintanccshp
with Jack Arnold. The unfortunate girl
had gone to live with her Aunt in L.,
and had returned in serious ill-hcalth, the
result, it was said, Of disappointment
in love- Frees look was peculiar. Could
it be-
"My grief! it's IN awful thing" con-
tinucd Auntic Trib. "Shc was engaged
to him, think, and he went off some
where's and came back engaged to some
other girl. My! the poor thing looks as
ii she had one foot in the grave already.
It's really dreadful, amt it John?'-with
II sudden appeal to the silent listener.
"Very-very, lndccd,' said Arnold.
IL knew her"
''You did? Well, I want to know?"
said Aun!ic Trib ''Whv didn't you say
SO before? Wasn't she pretty, poor thing,
before she got so low. splrited!"
"Who was the man." asked Sallic sud-
denly.
"Vcry pretty, Think" said Jack an
svsring Mrs. Hills question. He did
not mean to ignore Sallic's, but Free
broke in with a torrent of lively nonsense,
and the conversation lriftcd away from
Laura Bcamis snd her troubles. Sallic
was slightly uncomfortable, but she had
confidence in her lover, and did not allow
herself to indulge, as yet. in causclcss
suspicion. Auntic Trib, however, re-
cured to the former subject, which had
distressed her simple, sentimental old
heart, She exclaimed, mcditativcly:
my! amt 1t dishonorablc for man to
behave so"'
If I knew him." said Sallie, looking
like a youthful prophecies, in her sweet
austcrity, II would never touch his hand
again--no. not if he had been my best
fricnd.'
''What. SO scvcrc!' asked Jack, with
llalf-amuscd rcmonstrancc.
Whew! Look out, Jack,' cried Free.
"You never did anything dishonorablc:
did you!'
Never" answered Jack, readily and
quietly enough.
This was Irresistible.
| "'What! ncvcr?'" asked Free, with in
tense significance.
"Wcll, hardly cvcr,'' returned Jack,
ncrvously rubbing his chin, apparently
the very embodiment of guilty confusion.
Then they both uttered cold little evasivc
laughs, and Free changed the subject.
The truth was, they had both heard
the joke so often that it could no longer
raise Il hearty laugh, and they did not
reflect that the quotation was entirely
new to their hearers. They talked on,
ignorant of the overwhelming effect
winch their worGs had produced. For
Auntie Trib was seriously alarmed, and
began to think that she ought to have III
qured more closely into the young man.
antcccdcnts. She resolved to question
Free at the earliest opportunity; but how
could this be accomplished, since the
two friends intended to leave Rock
dale ut an early hour on the following
morning? She decided to write a most
urgent letter, and sift the matter to
the bottom. But how was 1t with Sallic?
The little incident was, to her narrow and
innocent mind, a confirmation strong as
proof of holy writ Jack was evidently
ashamed Of something in the past; he
had been confused and silent when Laura
Bcamis was discussed; the events tailed
yes, the circumstantial evidence was
strong. Free had said, "You had tlirt
Ia Irritation with her, he had in
| tended to continue, when his mother in
, tcrruptcd him. But what if Jack were
innocent in the case of Laura and he,
broken heart? At least he had openly
contradictctl his first denial of having
t committed I; disllonorablc action. "Har,l-
t ly ever" indeed! Did he think She
, shc--woulti marry 4 man who had ever
, committed the faintcst Shadow of II dis
honorable action? Never! not though,
her own heart broke, like Laura's.
All night long poor Sallic lay tossing
; on her bed, working her foolish little
brain INTO q state bordcrning upon frenzy
} She revolvcd the matter in her mind ul,-
! til she lost all power Of correct and tran
quill Judgement. The more violently she
: excited herself, the more conclusive, to
her thinking, became the proofs of Jacks
l'ascncss. At length, she could lie there
no longer; she rose, and by the iain,
+ light OF the winter dawn she wrote Il
brief but decisive letter to Jack, slipped
her engagement ring into the same H.
closure, sealed the envelope, and wrote
! his name upon it. Faint and weary with
her long conflict, she was about to lie
J down again, when she remembered
5 that it was near the early break
fats hour appointed for the two
: young men, and that she had promised
, to assist Jcrusha in her preparations, st,
she dressed hastily, with trembling fling
crs and crcpt down to the kitchen. Had
) she obtained IN hours sleep she would
, have awakened with Il clearer sense OF
things, and the unfortunate note would
probably have been destroyed. But now
her wcaried and ovcrstimulatcd brain
: continued to ponder upon the cause OF
} hc1 distress, and magnify it to gigantic
proportions.
"For the lands sake, child" cx-
claimed Jcrusha, "ycu do look powerful
, bad!'
I II couldn't Sleep" said Sallic, shortly
''Thcrc, .Jcruslla, the tables set, and
there's plenty Of time for me to go and
rest while now" And quietly laying
!, the note beside Jacks plate, she hurried
t back to her room.
Her lover glanced around with restless
F.. eyes when he met Free and Auntic Trib
: at the breakfast table. He had not be-
2 licved that Sallic would clude him this
-, morning. lie seated himself, with anx-
: iously drawn brows.
! "What? why, here's IL letter." he cx-
I claimcd. Then, examining it, he rcaZ
5 the word "Privatc'' beneath his own
? name, and flushing holly. he slipped it
, into his breast pocket. "From Sallic,'
l he said, quietly.
"What ever does the child mcan?'
l cried Auntic Trib. Amt she up? Jc-
C rushy, go right up and get her.
y "Shc said as how she'd been layin
l awake said Jerusha, "ana she went tc
to rest a SPELL
c "Wcll, you go along and tell her tc
t comc," said Mrs. Hill.
i But Jack called out "Don't disturb
c her if she's asleep
. Jcrusha went up, and presently came
i gathering down again. ':shc's asleep,
S she said as she entered.
# Poor Sallio had indeed dropped into
l. troubled slumbcr, and Jack would no
II admit for an instant the idea Of rousins