Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-03-05
objection / will walk III your shadow. as

objection 1 will walk in your shadow. as
you seem to be going my way"
Rachel Moffett bowed, but tne young
man, glancing into her face, saw tnat she
accepted his company with resignation.
81 presume you have received George
! REYNOLDS cards ?" said the young man al
ter pause.
"Yes,' Rachel answered grayely. "They
are very Stylish she added, with an Ell
fort.
sMiss Maurice is said to be wealthy,
the young man continued
! "Ah!'' Rachel exclaimed. with curl OF
the lips that was full of scorn.
With a delicate, intuitive sense that
would have done honor to men in finer
cloths and loftler sphere, Walter Gibbs
changed the subject with the remark: II
have that book of yours that borrowed.
in my pocket, Miss Rachel. There were
scraps of paper in it and some bits OF FADED
flowers. 1 have saved them all. and re-
turn them with the book.'
"Thank you, it did not signify any
thing Rachel replied indifferently.
She turned the leaves of the blue and
| gilt volume with the uneasy motion OF
restless hands, and then dropped from the
| gilded leaves the faded flowers. They We're
all alike mere bits of pink coloring on a
wooden stem-pink not so deep as the col
or that glowed on Rachel Moffatt' 8 cheeks
at sight of the flowers.
1T is the Ceris Canadenis Judas tree"
her companion remarked, picking up one
of the fallen bits and pulling it to pieces.
1.-THE Judas tree!" echoed Rachel Moi
fatt, all her Jones full of scornful wonder
eyes, the young man said, answering
the wonder in her tones. sin the Spring
it IS a tree of promise, with Its rugged
branches crowded full of blossoms, but the
blossoms die, and there is never fruit or
beauty IN fulfillment of its springtlme
promise. There is but one in the village
that know of, and that is in Squire Rey-
nold's garden"
4 Looking to see if Rachel Moffatt re-
membered the tree. Walter Gibbs became
painfully conscious that his remark had
/ Owed her face with teN-tale bushes, and
the tale they told was about George Rey-
nolds. Then he remembered how he had
forced his company upon her. and his con-
science smote him when he thought how
his careless words might have added to
the trouble Of the girl he loved. At least
she should be relieved from the annoyance
of his society, and with sigh he re-
marked:
sit was uncivil for me to join you, Miss
Rachel, when you came out to walk alone.
I beg your pardon. And as have an er-
rand down to the Widow Browns and am
going around that way, 1 will leave you
here.''
II would be glad to have your compa-
ny.n Rachel Moffatt felt constrained to
say.
ssThank you, but my errand Is urgent
Walter Gibbs answered. "Glad to have
your company" he muttered as he walked
away-'.a pretty story, that, and she wish
ing me ten miles away, from the moment
joined her! What poor blind l have
been.''
The woman whose happiness George Rey
nolds had trihed with so wantonly walked
S slowly toward her home and sat dowr
on the little porch watching the moor
come up She overheard her fathers words
as he talked to her mother.
'.There's as good FISH in the sea as wa
ever caught. It's my opinion the mai
who gets our Rachel will find there is bet
ter than George Reynolds has caught; ant
am sure Rachel will find better fish thai
;. George Reynolds. if he does think he i
: the biggest toad in the puddle
= Over Rachel Moffatt's sad face fiitteo
. a smile that was almost merry. To thinE
of comparing Medbury to a puddle, ant
= George Reynolds to the biggest toad
- Then her thoughts wandered to herself
- Did her father and mother suspect he
liking for George Reynolds? And Waite
~ Gibbs-had her face tattled to him OF sc
- crets that she fam would have kept
~ Henceforth she would wear mask. an
~ hide her secret in her heart.
She went into the house and sat dow
by the lamp-light. Her mask was on, AM
=; she wondered if Mrs Reynolds had mad
:. the fruit cake for the reception or whethe
- thew had bought it of the baker at Nee
~ bury.
- Mrs. Moffatt thought that Mrs. Re.
nolds would make it. She was such han
- to have everything Gone up in her kitche1
= Maybe she added, Mrs. Reynolds woul
like your help in making lady-cake {
~ something. You're such a master-hand &
~ lady-cake. you know, Rachel. Supposin
- she should express herself that way, wha
should say to her p
W Kachels mask threatened to fall. Tog
- into George Reynolds home and help
9 prepare for the reception Of his bride W;
a blow for which she was not prepares
~ Only a moment and the tottering mas
- was up. s.Certainly, if Mrs. Reynolt
= should ask my help. would co." Rach
'' answered. 81 would be glad to go,'' 81
added moment after, as if she were gi
=, ing the mask final securing touch.
10. And so Rachel Moffatt found herse
Gu beating eggs and stirring butter and sug;
in Mrs. Reynolds kitchen, listening to tt
:" good woman's garrulous chat. Lady cal
it will be, expect she said pausing in tt
no midst of her culinary operations to watt
20 the whites of eggs rising in foam und
ny Rachel Moffatt's dexterous manipulation
10y "And expect she's very fine lady we
VI a-nakine it for; but it's matter that
wouldn't like to 90 no farther than B
a ae tween us two. that I'd "a been satisfied
n'0 George had picked out wife nearer hon
.bnuldp,t "a said a word if q