Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-10-27

SlIy Oh tdlkluS, anu Sne knew tnaI Cn6e
would be suspicious trembling in her
voice, and besides she wanted to soothe
her sore heart with watching St. Albans.
He had grown very handsome in those
five years absence, but she saw that
there were wrinkles around his eyes and
white hairs among the brown on his
temples.
This first visit of his was like all the
others, so far as Letitia was concerned.
He was courteous to her but never friend
ly, and some fine self-consciousness Of
her weakness for him made Letitia avoid
him.
He visited at Mr.. Marsh's frequently
and Miss Isabel Marsh was very gener-
deed, the young lady herself was very.
sanguine of her success in winning the
gallant colonel, and on one occasion
she was gushingly 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
off nothing would afford her more pleas
ure than to give her dearest aunt" a
home there.
When the snow fell Colonel St. AL
bans invited a 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
90, but Isabel declared it would look
''odd, and people would think that she
had not forgotten that "old romantic
episode - and Miss Letitia decided not
to give "people" any chance to talk.
The Colonel proposed to introduce
the American amusement of sledging,
for he had several sledges on purpose.
Isabel went with the colonel on his own
sledge, and was as 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 furiously and the air was
thick with flying snow. Somehow, in
the darkness the colonels horse man
aged to upset the slepge, and in conse-
quence half dozen more sledges shared
the same fate, and half the merry party
were mixed up together in inextricable
confusion.
The re.embarcation was of course hur-
ried, part of Colonel st. Albans, who
had restive horse, and one quite in
disposed to wait patiently for passengers
in such furious wind as was then rag
ing.
They had gone full mile, the Colo
mel holding the reins with both hands,
when he heard low and tremulous voice
say, "Pardon me, Colonel st. Albans,
but fear you have taken the wrong
passenger"
"Good heaven u he cried, in strong
agitation. '.Letitia!''
"Yes. Do not be offended was
not to blame for it. The snow blinded
me, and | thought surely you were
brother john"
Through the tiger-skins he had wrap.
ped around her St. Albans was sure he
felt her tremble. He drew closer to hel
side, moved by some uncomfortable i'm
pulse to speak what was in his heart.
"Letitia," he said. hoarsely, 'once W.
were not strangers. /"
"But that time has past"
Eyes" he said bitterly; "your caprice
ruined my happiness aud made me ;
dissatisfied and useless wandcrer.''
"My caprice" she said slowly. 81 d,
not understand.
Letitia was growing dizzy. and tn,
world of snow spun round and round be
fore her bewildered eyes. He turnet
upon her sharply.
"You don't understand Then let m
explain. Why did you not answer m,
letter ?-the letter in which l told 20,
that loved you-in which | asked yo,
to be my wife, | was coward. Letitia
Love made me distrust myself, else
should surely have spoken to you instea'
of writing. But wrote, and aske'
: you to answer me as you felt, and | toll
you that if you rejected me you nee
only keep silent. And you kept silent.
..That letter never reached me-" sh
said family.
; lit did not? But if it had ?"
His hand sought hers, all unmindfu
of his horse; and the animal took tn
: liberty of deciding upon his own cours
, and went off in the direction from tn
, right one; but st. Albans did not OF
serve it. He was too intent on Letiti
to observe the horse.
II loved you, Gerard" she said, sof
q ly. "My answer could have been nott
ing but that"
"My darling, change that form {
a expression! ~ he cried eagerly. "Sa
q i love you. Gerard 7"
: And she said it with his lips holdin
: hers SO close they dared not make
r mistake in the words he dictated. B,
4 she added Immediately, ut is too la