Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-17

ing to ride Nero? Idon't believe the Oh
Harry himself has got lis horse in his sta
bic that'll come up to Nero for viciousness
If you'd only hold your tongue she d helped
me make some cake, and been as peacea
BILE as you please. Now she's all worket
up.''
"I'm glad of it, said Seth. s'It's TIM
somebody was worked up, and if you conlt
see the Colonel you'd think so too.''
"But amt tbs Colonel as much to blam,
as Miss Caroline ?" Huldah inquired
''and more too. Didn't he break the en-
gagement himself ?''
EYES," said Seth, ssof course he did,
'Tisn't likely an honest, square-mindet
man like Colonel Lowell would expect {
woman to stick to an engagement with 8
cripple for life, is it? But Pm Just as
sure as if I'd heard him say 80 that he
never thought Miss Caroline would take
him at his word. She thinks he wanted to
get rid of her, so there's pair of idiots
together
Seth went out to the stable, saddIed Nero
and brought him round TO the front of the
house. Miss Caroline had a scarlet spot
on each cheek as she walked down the
hawthorn-hedged path to the gate where
Seth waited
John wasn't anywhere round" said
Seth apologizing quite humbly for doing
the lady kindness, land so brought the
horse around myself. Shall l give you a
mount Miss Caroline ?''
eyes, thank you, Seth," she replied.
springing at once into the saddle, and
while her companion held the snorting
and impatient Nero Miss Caroline drew on
and buttoned her gauntlet gloves,
II don't know but this beast will be the
death of you sometime. Miss Caroline, y
Seth remarked as he stepped out of the
way of the dangerous hoofs.
sob, WE'LL" the lady replied, 'sif he is
there's one good thing, there wont be any
one to care very much ABOUT it.''
This was said with ehild's petulance.
but the tender look in the deep. gray eyes
and the round lips, which would tremble
in spite of all her efforts, touched her COM
panion to the heart.
''Seth,' she broke out again before be
could collect his wits to reply. ''you are
always talking to me or at me, which
means the same thing, only 1T is vastly
more disagreeable, about Colonel Lowell,
and as if l were in some way responsible
for all that has happened to him. Now, /
want to tell you enc thing and l hope you
will remember it sufficiently to spare me
in the future, and it is this, 1 am no more
20 blame for Colonel Lovell's being alone
and unhappy either in the past or the pres
emit time than am for the wounds which
nave made him an invalid all these years.
If he had allowed me I should have been
with him, not as duty, but because l
couldn't be anywhere else in any comfort
but could not force myself upon Colone
Lowell, Seth. You have heard of course,
that he broke the engagement. have
given everybody to understand this, be.
cause could not allow my friends to sup
pose that would be mean enough to de-
sert him in his affection. Since his cruel
letter, Seth, by means of which he broke
his promise and mine, he has never sent
me a message or written me line. Now,
do you think you understand the case
enough, Seth, to stop speaking IF Colonel
Lowell to me 20
These last words rang out in such vail
of anguish that Seth's eyes filed with
tears. Miss Caroline gave him no time to
reply, for she took up her reins and Nero
and his rider were off Like the wind. It
wasn't but few moments before she
came galloping back over the meadows and
through the orchard, and SO up to the
kitchen door.
where's Seth?" she asked of Huldah,
refining Nero in with great difficulty.
"He didn't come in again after he took
the horse round,' Huldah replied. and be-
fore she could say any more Nero was
wheeled around and bounded off in the di-
rection of Seth's cottage, quarter of a
mile up the hill.
All that day Miss Caroline was restless
and nervous. she was obliged to return
without finding seth, and so she wandered
up and down the great house without any
motive except to kill time, and
when Huldah asked her if she wouldn't
help her with the cake she replied there
was cake enough in the house, and half an
hour afterward entered the kitchen with
her white cooking apron on to try a new
rule.
That evening when Seth came around
Miss Caroline sent for him to come to the
library.
81 never thought this morning, Seth, to
tell you," she began with averted face.
''that what said at that time was in the
strictest confidence. I rode back to try
and find you: for began to be worried five
minutes after left you"
II hope you don't think I would ever do
to hurt you, Miss Gardiner" Seth
replied deprecatingly.
II didn't think you would intend to,
Seth,' the lady explained, ''but / didn't
know but your desire TO do me a service
might render you indiscreet. You under
stand now, Seth, that your lips are always
to be sealed in regard to chat foolishness?"
Eyes, Miss Caroline Seth responded,
'.I'll never speak another word about it as
long as live, unless you give me leave"
and here the interview ended.
Seth made desperate love to Huldah the
rest of the evening every once and a while
bursting out into the most unexpected fits
Of laughter, and these spasms we're so con-
tagious that Huldah found herself joining
IL without an idea of what she was laugh
ing about.
Say, Huldah," Seth remarked just as