The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-07-14
how you came to faint that night of the


found Stella distraught that day, talking |
at random, absent-eyed and fantastic in |
her moods. What did it all meanP |
Why had Colonel Audenreid written |
her that note If he loved Felicia, and |
why was he going to marry her if he |
loved somebody elseP Didn't he know |
that she had received his message of
lover Or did he mean simply to ignore !
it, having seen ft to changer From |
living in a state of happy excitement,
when every footstep in the street below
might be Colonel AuGenreid's, who was
Fastening to repeat the burden OF his
note, Stella was suddenly brought down
to earth, to the dull certainty that
nothing more was ever likely to happen
to her, that there had been some dread
tul mistake somewhere, which had lent
her days a rose-color for little while,
to be sure, only to leave them grayer
and more forlorn than before.
All at once she remembered with a
shudder that Colonel Audenreid's fatal
note was at MartiDvale, that one morn
| ing she had been reading IL and getting
it by heart in her own room, when
| Felicia knocked at her door, and she
had slipped the precious document be-
tween the leaves of her Golden
Treasury" lying on the toilet table;
and then Felicia had entered with Mrs.
Davis summons for Stella to return to
duty, and in her hasty packing and de-
parture she had left Martinvale without
the Golden Treasury" Some day
she promised herself to beg leave of
Mrs. Davis to run away to Martinvale
and secure her treasure, not that its
possession would signify to her any
longer, only in order to keep il from
Felicia's eyes; but Mrs. Davis would
not hear to being left an hour, and
sometimes Stella cherished the insane
idea of writing to Mrs. Martin and re-
questing that lady to send the Golden
Treasury of Song" which she would
find in the gable room, without open
ing it.
"Dear Mr.. Davis" she begged one
day, when a couple of months had gone
by, and she had heard no more of pearls
and satins and bridema.ds from Felicia,
"do let me run down to Martinvale, if
only to stay over train; it is very i'm
portant."
"A matter of life and death, I sup
poseP"
ct Concerns the happiness of two
people"
Cant you tell me about it?"
Yes, will, and then you will surely
let me 90. When | was at Martinvale
in the summer l met Cola certain
gentleman. He was very kind. He
carried the lifeline out to a distressed
, crew when we were all at the beach TO.
gether, and he left little foolish, hasty
note for me, in case he never returned
by some mistake the note was brought
to me, though he did return. 1t was Il
hasty little affair, you know, written, nc
doubt, under strong excitement, when
| bn hoI Il lin
suppose; for | have never seen him
7 since, and the note is in my Golden
/ Treasury" which left behind me, and
my friend Felicia Martin may find it.
4 and it would break her heart, for she is
/ going to marry Colonel Audenreid
, Oh! did not mean to tell his name
! but you II forget il, dear Mrs. Davis
and let NE 90 at onceP"
Il am not likely to forget it, child,
t laughed Mrs. Davis; ait was my owl
, name before I married. Colonel Au
denreid is a sort of cousin OF mine.
is pretty story. Yes, you shall go
= So the note would break Felicia's heart
: would it9 1t must have been very ten
r der"
a But you see there must have beel
e some mistake about it,"
Q "Well, there are as good fish in til
e sea as ever yet were caught, child. e.
e and look after Felicia's happiness,
J. YOU will" And for the first time Mrs
8 Davis kiss ed Stella's white cheek
|. "You might have been my cousin, yo
r know" she explained.
t But Stella never reached Martinvale
Stepping into the station, she ra
O against Colonel Audenreid steppin
e out, with her Golden Treasury in hi
hand. They looked at each other for
. breathing space.
i II 81 was going to YOU" said tn
y "Where is FeliciaO" demanded Stells
n AT home-agd nd happy still. Wher
Z, ''To Martinvale, for my Golden Trea
o ury.'"
y have made the journey unnece
~ 70 sary. Let me call Il carriage and tai
t you home. l have a great deal to col
u fess."
"It happened oddly enough" he e,
planned later, when he had given orde
1e TO be driven III the opposite directiC
A. from home "I had left the note to
in given you in case | never returne
IN Aiterward, when l asked Jim to su
I'd render it, he confessed that he couldI
Or lay hands upon it; must have lost
T. through hole in the pocket OF his pc
ed he had dropped it on the beach, the ii
er had hidden it. Returning alive, pl
la pared to do my courting by word
IT mouth. did not know you had Il
by Mr.. Martins. When was able to wa
"a, went there to find you. 1t was dusk
ne l approached through the garde
la; Somebody was dreaming on the piazz
lel 1T is Stella thought. Inside
house Mrs. Martin was speaking to |
- licia. heard her say distinctly, Sh
ed you go to town tomorrow, Felicia
Ost and Felicia reply, Certainly, if
ln- weather allows l did not know I'll
tie there WINS an Aunt Felicia with t
ar same tricks OF voice. OF course, if
to licia was indoors with her mother,
my was Stella star gazing on the piaz
he and perhaps thinking of me. WoI
ow ever things be more in my favorP
m drew near; some tender word, so
ma | haStU aUOUal QsRanpd me-. aha WAS