The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-10-23

was carrying on cIandeStlne cOrre-
spondence. The cousins had been aware
of the Irritation, and laughed, as gay,
thoughtless young creatures viii at
such things. But Belle Atkins, who
was older, and a little more worldly
wise, had said, on the day of her depart
ure-
'If l were you, Evelyn, I'd drop that
Captain Campbell. Every body says he
isn't nice at all; and / think he is rather
dangerous to flirt with. OF course 1
know you're only amusing yourself, and
don't care two straws for him, but I'm
afraid he'll get you in his power in some
way, if you don't stop this fiirtatian.''
Sitting there in her room, with the
note in her hand, Evelyn hardly knew
whether she really cared for the writer
or not. He was certainly the handsom-
est man she had ever seen, and then he
was so devoted to her! 1t never entered
the foolish girls mind that her money
had something to do with this devotion;
and then, since the beginning of the ac-
quaintance, she had been kept so pleas
! antly excited. To be sure the dread of
discovery was always with her. Her
father was a stern man, who could be
very harsh and unforgiving. She was
only a schoolgirl, she did not realize
that there was something very wrong
and unnatural in the position in which
she had placed herseh-in connection
with this fascinating man.
Evelyn sat there for some moments,
perpleXed and undecided. She could
not make up her mind to give up the
handsome Captain, but yet the note she
held showed that she must come to some
decision. lie told her that "A sudden
summons compelled him to leave town
that day, and that she mast meet him at
noon. There was an urgent necessity
for it, and if he did not find her at the
end of the Acacia Walk, he would come
up to the house. Her heart almost stood
still when she thought of the possible
consequences of his coming to the house.
She did not deem that the man
only wrote this to frighten her into
compliance with his scheme The spider
had woven his web, and was waiting
for the fly to step into it. If she would
only meet him, he felt confident in his
power to persuade her to another step
Il clandestine marriage. Circumstance
had hurried his plans, and something
definite must be decided upon that very
day. Evelyn's thoughts did not quite
90 the length of his. In fact, through
the whole affair she had had no definite
end in view. 1t was all an exciting,
charming romance, with stern parents
and slandered lover; but somehow
this last note made her uneasy.
g What a goose | am to feel fright
ened!" she said. ''What harm is there
in walking down the avenue? And if
Captain Campbell happens to be on the
other side of the gate-surely the high
way is free to all. OF course | shouldn't
like pa to see him, he's SO prejudiced;
~, L
before o'clock. -
The servant Molly entered that mo-
ment, without the ceremony of knock
ing.
La, miss, your beau's waitin' for
you," she said, with offensive familiari-
ty. - He told me he was comm to the
big gate, and | run there to see if he
was come. You'd better hurry up
And, O miss, can't you give me some
money! l need dollar or two, mon
strouS bad -
q haven't any to-day, Molly" Eve
lyn said, with a feeling of humiliation
Z" III get it for you soon.''
The girl fiounced off with a sullen
look, and Evelyn knew that if the hush
money was not given, Molly would not
hesitate to reveal her secret to her par
ents. She had already used it to eXtOrt
ribbons and other small articles in Eve
lyn's wardrobe which happened to take
her fancy.
Evelyn put on her hat, and slipped
out at the back door. The Acacia Ave
nue. was an old disused walk, running
along the side of the house to a gate on
the high road, which had been nailed up
when the new avenue was made in front
/ of the house. Because of her nervous
ness and anxiety, Evelyn fingered in the
walk in spite of the impatient Captain
at the end. Not usually Observant, TO-
day nothing escaped her notice, in this
unwonted thoughtful mood. Perhaps
she wished to abstract herself from all
unpleasant reflections perhaps her bet
| ter angel was making last effort in her
| behalf; but the sun fell in lines of light
| through the branches, and the glow of
! the flowers which lined the path had
never seemed to her so brilliant and
beautiful. Always rich in bloom, the
! Acacia Walk to-day was ut its fairest
and best. Stopping a minute to pluck
a crimson rose, she turned and looked
back at 4 little foot-path- short cut to
the house she had left. 1t was dim, and
shaded by trees through whose dense
foliage fthe sun seldom pierced,
! but it had no turns, and went
! straight down to an opening
in the park which looked like bright
| glimmer in the distance. A sudden re-
membrance smote Evelyn. Were not
/ her steps on the very path of the allie
CORY she had read few days before?
Standing there she remembered how it
ended; and the light and bloom had
dazzled only to lead to darksome pit
And there at the end of that dim way
lay all the peace and security of her
home. BY an impulse which she did
not stop to question, she turned and ran
as if pursued until the house was gained
When in her own room, she felt that
she had chosen the right path, and there
was in her mind a delightful sense of Sc
curitv. She would not meet Captain
Campbell, come what might.
That day at dinner Mr.. Seaton said to
his wife
+" You know that young scamp Camp
1 bell, who has been staying near here
1t appears that he was dismissed from
his regiment for dishOnorable conduct,
and this morning he was sought for on
some more serious charge. l do not
know what it was, but he gave the Con-
stable the slip, and is off to parts un-
known"
The two parents did not know the
cause of Evelyn's sudden faintness, and
insisted upon her lying down until she
was better.
She obeyed, glad to be alone, though
her own thoughts were too full of NOR
tihcation and shame to be pleasant COM
panions. But it was a wholesome dis
cipline
Evelyn's reading of "The Two
Paths > was what is called accidental,
but years afterwards, when she was an