The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-29

q long breath, and thrust MS nng5rS lnbO the
pocket of his shooting coat, falling naturally
into a careless lounging attitude peculiar to
him. The fingers came in contact with
note 1t was addressed IN a woman's hand
writing, to Matthew Curtis, Esq, M. ID. y
A grim smile played about the gentlemsn's
lips as he reflected how unsuited was that
formal superscrip.ion to the joylal, reckless,
good-for-naught, known to rich and poor
families around as young Mat. Curtis
With llstless air he drew forth the brief
Enclosure. His face darkened as he perused
it.
Miss Agnes Bellue would be glad to
have few minutes conversation with Mr..
Curtis
.Lover-like-very" commented Mat, with
sarcastic emphasis
Another glance at the delicate paper and
the hrm, square handwriting. the dark look
hardening the while, until the character OF
| the face seemed completely altered.
"Look at lt!n quoth Mat. Her hand
never trembled; there is not a wavering
strokei Why, most girls would cry their
eyes out while writing such letter to their
| lovers"
He crunched the offensive missive into a
crumpled ball as he spoke, and addressed a
few more unapostolIc explosives to the fair
neutrality-suspicious. peculiarly unbefitting
to a clergyman's study, or the hearing OF the
| young lady who noiselessly entered In time
| indistinctly to catch them.
/
but with aserene and queenly grace OF move
ment, a gravely beautiful face-an air OF
| naughty disgust.
Pardon me-" she says Jelly; $50 interest
ing a conversation with yourself is probably
of confidential nature"
Mat turns with flaming face, a quick
depreciating gestures. courteous apologize
| bow and speech that somehow IN their con-
/ fused humility stamp him as gentleman.
II trust indeed you did not hear 1T. L
earnestly crave forgiveness if You did?"
She contemptuously dismissed the matter
with the slightest wave of little jeweled
hand. Cold, hard, proud she LOOKS, and
her words have a clear-cut articulation sug-
gsstive of newly clipped coins.
II sent for you"
yes" answers Mat defiantly HIS peni-
tence dying away-the dark, hard expression
returning. "Just my luck" it seems to re-
| peat :.
ITO beg an answer to three questions"
continues Miss Bellue.
| Mat. bows, thrusts his hands into the deep
shooting pockets once more, and resumes
the careless lounging attitude.
Have you entered your name, notwith-
standing my protest, as gentleman rider for
the autumn steeple-chases?"
| Eyes"
Have you, In truth, gone back to the habit
| OF dropping into the 'Barleycorn' two or
three nights in the week to-" chow superb
was the ring of scorn in her voiceD drink
ale and smoke, in company with the Doors
there?;
Yes repeats Mat. sturdily.
| SIS it indeed true that ON leaving that inn
last night you involved yourself in poach-
ing affray, actually knocking down a keeper
and helping one of the poachers to escape?''
YES" said Mat. with kind Of sullen
despair.
Miss Bellue draws something from her
white fingers, and holds it out. Mechan-
| Mot,S how ont of tho CHI in
pocket and grasps it. 1t is woman's en-
gagement ring.
They looked at each other, curious con.
trast in the two faces. Hers composed,
calm, haughtily indiffsrent-his blankly as
tonished, angry, agitated by turns.
'Not-not that, Agnes. he pleads, husk
lily.
The serene beauty, the quiet determine
of her iace, answer him.
Can you not make allowances" he cried
"Can you not understand that mad young
blood like mine must find some excitement
greater than mixing pills, and powders, and
lotions, or creeping through sick rooms al
day?'
It is pitiful to see how he waches he
while he speaks, and notes the same fixed
mute, changelesS answer.
SAT least, let me explain. l can do SO tt
your satisfaction, think, 1 hope!" be say
obviously. Return it to your finger anC
and he holds the ring twsrd her with 9
clumsy hand that trembles somewhat.
Still no audible reply A faint shake o
the head, a look of polite incredulity-tha
is all.
do you carer" he asks
His appealing eyes searched her face. |
does not change. Beautiful, imperturbable
the sentence written there never varies. Hi
unsteady fingers drop the ring, but be let j
lie taf buried in fsecy rug. Then, with
stern. set look he sets his foot upon 1t, bow
slightly and walks from the room.
He leaves the house, passing the windoy
to gain the road, but looking neither to tn
right nor to the left.
His head is erect, the hands are out of th
, loose pockets. For once (s.artling transfer
mationl young Mat. Curtis looks positivel,
} diguified.
As be yaDishes startling transformation
takes place in the room he bias quilted. Mis-
Bellue proves herself woman, and not
5 queen, by series of actions essentially fem
mime.
r First, she rescues the bent love token iron
the floor; then she kisses il and cries over it
then she locks it away carefully in a writin
desk; then she PUSHES upstairs to see he
lover out OF sight from an upper window.
+ For quarter OF mile or so she watche
him, retreatlng figure, growing smaller an
smaller in the distance. He never ono
looked back; the regular march OF his step
never faltered; turn in the road hid hin
+ from sight. Miss Bellue sat down on Oh
foor-a most undignified posihon-an
cried until her pretty eyes were red an
swollen.
sit is all over" she moaned; 'all over"
$ Fire! firer'
Mat. sprAng from his bed with professions
7 experiences, struck light, tumbled int
some clothes, and rushed from the house.
No need to ask whence the alarm pre-
cseded; the fierce pillar of flame and the re
D glow in the sky were beacons toward whic
he ran at headlong speed, with one though
1 in his mind, 81 pray heaven it may not b
the rectoryi"