The Newtown bee., 1880-03-03
ave an engagement with that infamous

have an engagement with that infamous Potter"
 Infamous, indeed,n said Constance; < and he has gone off with somebody else"
 At this moment man in livery ap- preached and touched his hat to Ernest. 1 ltwas his own coachman, an old and faithful servant, " ho had been coach Beg your pardon, Mir. Ernest, for coming up here without leave, but have you seen the mistress, sir?"
 "No. What do you meanp"
 'sWell, sir, she drove to the station after you left, sir, and she seemed so wild like and unaecountable that I made bold to follow her, for fear she might come to harm; and I followed her here, sir, when she changed her dress for widows weeds, and got into the Brighton train, sir, with Captain Potter."
 Ernest turned pale faint.
 He recovered himself with great effort. .. ...
 Il know" he cried. "I sent her off to Brighton, and have just seen her off. How dare you follow your mistress, sirp" t"
 The man turned away in blank dis may.
 "Ernest," said Constance, i've have both been deceived"
 Stuff" said Ernest. "Itwas a trick we played on you, that's all. We found out the plot, and contemplated to save you" .....:...-.s
 But still there was terrible doubt at his heart. What could it all mean? "Come into the waiting room, Con- ct hn lot Toll An, what misery" he muttered to him. self. .t...-. ..--. They turned into the waiting room, and Ernest threw himself upon seat l leaned his arm upon the table and groaned. s ~
 What do you mean to do, Ernest?' said Constance, clutching him by the arm. "It is all very well to tell you1 servants such stories. I admire you fol 1 it, Ernest; but know better. It is deliberately planned. We are both de 1 ceived.'
 Ut is impossible" said Ernest. ''I always mistrusted Theresa; she was my early friend, you remember, and ] believe that Potter used to come to our l house on purpose to see her, using me as | a blind. Oh, Ernest, what shall we doP"
 'I shall call special train and follow them" said Ernest.
 "Then shall go with you," cried Constance.
 Ernest rose and staggered to the plat form once more.
 "Ernest!" said a decisive, feminine voice at his elbow. He turned and beheld his wife and Captain Potter.
 C uul1of f1 o,.;aI Do++o,. Er,.,,+ boy, how are you? Cad, I've got into a pretty mess with all this ambuscading wrong party after all, jolly row, pull the string, stop the train Claphan Junction, guard in an awful rage. Give us into custody, eh? Ha, ha! Here we are again, back first train. say, old fellow, I'll just change widows with you"
 Come into the waiting room," cried Black, land tell me what it all means. Potter, consider you an unprincipled fellow to inveigle this young lady into such trap. You know you only want to waste her fortune as you've wasted your own"
 Gently, old fellow" said Potter, "all mistake. My uncle died last week and left me s, ,0O0 year."
 "Then why do you make off in this clandestine way?"
 Its all right, Black, I assure you I've got special license in my pocket, parson waiting at Brighton. We're both of age, you know.n' ..@ -
 Then why all this disguisePn
 "Oh, that was my doing,n sobbed
 And how did you get the widows things, ConstanceP"
 "F-from-your-Aunt Blake. It wasn't very wicked. was itp"
 Il think" said Theresa, who had re, covered her equanimity and her usual aspect of proud serenity. '' think, Constance, you had better come back to Shrublands with me and be married in a respectable, orderly way"
 And they settled that so it should be: They all went back to Shrublands. and Constance was married the next week, not in the widow weeds, but in a full bridal costume with several brides maids.
 Ernest" said Theresa, affectionately whtn it was all over, .' I'll never b5 jealous again-but for all that, I'm lad that artful minx is safely disposed ot She shall never enter my doors again never" Potter always speaks of his frlens Black with affectionate commiseratlon and says that the worst five minutes h' ever spent in his life were passed ln the Brighton express in company Witf 1 Mme. Theresa.