The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-10-29

for Laura Marcy, I should as soon thin
y of living with a stable-boy--a grea
coarse, blowzy woman"
: "With half a million of dollars p
"Ten millions would not make her
= lady!
''And pray, what is supposed to SUP
port you when you marry Amy
Remember, my money bought thi
place, though it bears your father
name, and my money supports your eX
travagances Your own income woul'
: not keep you in gloves and ncckties."
eve can live on very little. Amy doe
not care for gayety, and 1 mean to TAX
up my law studies in good earnest. Tn
/; going to drop fast horses and bachelo
+. suppers, nanny, and 90 in for lega
> honors. When l am Judge of the Su
preme Court you can thank Amy TO
rousing my ambition, and making maj
of me-"
But Mrs. Chester was not inclined tt
thank Amy for anything that thwartest
her own plan. diot resist Guy
caress or bis pen "mammy," ant
she was shrewd ) ,gf5Io see that active
opposition woul& probably hasten the
catastrophy she dreaded. Guy was JUS
the man to walk off with Amy to church
and come back bound fRl life, If he saw
any prospect of separation. SO the moth
er smiled and said.
"You headstrong boy! You always
have had your own way, and | suppose
you always will w
"That's dear NANNY" was the quick
reply. Tell Amy it's all right. Tll moi
interfere till you settle it all"
Then he walked off whistling, and
Mrs. Chester sent for Amy
There was no anger upon her face when
she bade the shy, gentle girl sit beside
her, only heavy shadow, as if from ter
rible grief.
"Amy," she began, and her tone had
none of its habitual ring of imperious
command, II have just had long, ser-
GUS talk with Guy, andmade no impress
sion upon him. So | have resolved to
make an appeal to your good sense and
generosity"
Amy's lips quivered q moment like Il
grieved child's, but she made no reply.
you think Guy is wealthy" continued
Mrs. Chester, because the estate bears
his name, and supply his purse from
my own; but he has less than thou
sand dollars a year! If he marries to
please me he can still have home at
Chester Hill, but his marriage with a
portionless bride will not please me-
You imagine love will make poverty
easy to bear. You do not know Guy.
He is self-willed and impetuous. If you
uphold him in opposing me he will mar
ry you, and take you to New York to live
being great lawyer. And l." very
| Il l;et,,
dollar own to charity, for l will never
forgive him. In a year or two you will
be in debt, Guy will fret for his club, his
suppers, his horses, and reproach you for
his poverty. He will tire of you, as he
has tired OF dozen fair faces before
yours attracted him, and you will be the
burden and torment of his life"
'But what am to do2"
'Ieave him. Go at once, without
farewell 10 your grandlather's, and | will
allow your present salary to continue"
"No," was the quiet firm answer. "If
go it will be for Guys sake. l do not
require bribe"
lit will be better in every way for you
to 60 believe me-betttr in every way.
may marry WIZ hsra iGassi Marcy Hes will b Be able to
give him every luxury he now enjoys,
and who worships the ground on which
he waiksP
Amy's sensitive lip curled. Gentle as
she was. she had sufficient spirit to des-
Mise the unmaidenly conduct of her rival.
4 latent pride almost hidden in her shy,
modest nature, WIS asserting itself and
spoke presently.
II will tell you Tomorrow" she said,
"what / will do"
"And Guy will persuade you TO marry
him."
81 will say nothing of this conversation
to Guy. You may trust me "
But Mrs Chester did not trust her.
She listened for Guys step, and, meeting
him in the hall, said
"I wish you would 90 to New York for
me Guy"
"Won't tomorrow do ?"
"No; you can stay over night, and
come down in the morning particu-
larly wish" and then followed the
long excuse for the trip.
"Where's AmyY was the expected
question.
'In her own room. Don't call her,
Guy; she wants to be alone. We have
had long talk"
"And you were good to her ?"
Il said no word of blame. She will tell
you herself Tomorrow"
"But she can come down just MIN
ute ?"
"If she does, you will miss the 4:5o
train. Do gol You owe me some COM
pliance after this morning"
And Guy-easy-going Guy-kisSed her
and strobe away from all happiness. 1t
was noon the next day when he returned,
and his mother met him at the door again.
"Guy," "she said, Amy is gone"
''Gone Where ?"
81 cannot imagine, unless she tells you
in this"
And a little note in Amys handwriting
was placed in Guys gloyed hand. lie
tore it open quickly. No address, no
date, no signature-only these words
at ia better in every way for me to leave you
| shall not return even il you seek and find me.
A peuniless wife would become burden TO you,
even though you loyed her. so 1t Is oe''er "
say-fareWeli.
That was all !
There was scene, of course. Mrs.
Chester quite expected a scene, but her
fastidious taste was shocked at the guam
thy of wine Guy drank at dinner. lie
was gentleman, and it was against all
his former refined idSNse confuse ms
brain with drink but on Shat night MS
ascent of the stairs TO his room was not
easily accomplished.
But this was not repeated the next
night, nor had it been when Laura
Marcy came three weeks later. by that
time Guy had worked himself into
state of sulky resentment against Amy
| He had left no stone unturned 70 hhu
| her. but having troubled himself very
little about her antecedents, beyond the
fact that his mother and her own were
cousins, he had entirely forgotten, II ne
ever knew of, the existence of her pater-
nal grandparents.
She had never cared for him She was
a sly little flit She would have mar
ried the heir of Chester Hlil, but was
afraid to wed student lawyer with
thousand dollars year. She was mer-
cenary.
So he rang the changes over the yearn,
ing grief he could not smother. Ana
the ambition that she had reused, the
aims she had encouraged, sank pack De
fore the reckless quest of pleasures 10 re,
sist the only really deep love Guy mad
ever known.
Inst in this state he mel Laura Marcy
halfway, flirted desperately, rode over
the country roads beside her, TIL II was
one of the unexplained problems what
saved their necks in Their headiong rae
ing: sang with her, and found himself
Lornd bV an engagement before he half
realized how far he was involved.
The marriage was hurried on, both tne
,otb,r and the willing bride energeti.