The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-07-14

It was no wonder that Mrs. Davis
found Stella distraught that day, talking
at random, abseut-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
!ul 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 Martin vale, that one morn
ing she had been reading it 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
|
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 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, il
only to stay over train; it is very i'm
portant."
"A matter of life and death, / sup
poseP"
"It Concerns the happiness of Two
people,"
Cant you tell me about ite"
Yes, l will, and then you will surely
let me go. When l was at Martinvale
in the summer l met Cola certain
gentleman. He was very kind. He
carried the lifeline out to distressed
} crew when we were all at the beach TO-
kether, 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 u
hasty little affair, you know, written, nc
doubt, under strong excitement, when
he had misunderstood his own feelings,
] suppose; for l have never seen him
since, and the note is in my Golden :"
Treasury" which left behind me, and
my friend Felicia Martin may find it.
and it would break her heart, for she is
| going to marry Colonel Audenreid
Oh! l did not mean to tell his name
but you will forget il, dear Mrs. Davis
and let me 60 at onceP"
! am not likely to forget it, child,
/ laughed Mrs. Davis; "it was my owl
name before / married. Colonel Au
denreid is a sort of cousin OF mine. L
So the note would break Felicia's heart
would it? 1t must have been very ten
+ der"
But you see there must have beer
g some mistake about it,"
z "Well, there are as good fish in til,
E sea rs ever yet were caught, child. Gt
9 and look after Felicia's happiness,
you will" And for the first time Mrs
J Davis kissed 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 raj
D against Colonel Audenreid stepping
G opt, with her " Golden Treasury - in hi
| L. ~oA 81 81, l. e..
: breathing space.
81 was going to YOU" said tn
Y colonel.
"Where is Felicia" demanded Stella
" At home-and happy still. Wher
: were you going"
!; "To Martinvale, for my Golden Treas
. ury.,"
" have made the journey unneces
. sary. Let me call carriage and tax
= you home. l have q great deal to col
y fess."
Ithappened oddly enough" he e1
planned later, when he had given order
e TO be driven in the opposite directio
/ from home q had left the note to
n given you in case / never returned
n AiterWard, when l asked Jim to su
q render it, he confessed that he couldn
II lay hands upon it; must have lost
+. through hole in the pocket Of his pc
4; jacket. That was of no consequence;
"a he had dropped it on the beach, the til
sr had hidden it. Returning alive, pr
Ia pared to do my cOurting by word {
T. mouth. did not know you had le
~ Mr.. Martins. When was able to wal
d, l went there to find you. 1t was dusk
ne l approached through the garde
a; Somebody was dreaming on the piazz
el 1t is Stella l thought. Inside D
house Mrs. Martin was speaking to
. licia. heard her say distinctly, 'Shi
ed you go to town tomorrow, Felicia
'st and Felicia reply, Certainly, if &
n weather allows / did not know tn
lie there WINS an Aunt Felicia with Il
lr- same tricks OF voice. OF course, if I
to licia was indoors with her mother,
ny was Stella star gazing on the piazz
he and perhaps thinking of me. WOu
wv ever things be more in my favorP
kandavs xrynrH