The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-04-12

remember that 1 love you truly and
faithfully-that my heart is entirely
yours"
Then he dropped her hand, turned
quickly, and walked away as swiftly
and silently as he had come, before she
could recover from her surprise or make
any movement or reply.
To Augusta this conduct appeared
strange but not unaccountable. She
soon came to the conclusion that he was
more timid than she had supposed him
to be-that he had formed sudden
resolution, as he was about to retire for
the night, to declare his love-that he
had mustered courage to come down
and speak the words that she had longed
to hear, and then frightened by his own
audacity, had hastened away before he
could learn his fate.
But the thought that he loved her was
blissful enough for Augusta. She de-
termined to go and dream on it, and
went up stairs to her room. There
another strange surprise awaited her.
AS she reached the open door, she saw
man standing at the bureau, and by
the moonlight she recognized him as
Franklin Coulter. He held in his hand
her watch and chain, which he had
taken from their place on the bureau.
Then he turned and swiftly left the
room, looking straight ahead, as if he
supposed himself to be unseen.
Augusta Penohyn was even more
amazed by this second encounter than
she had been by the first. She was so
astounded that she did not know what
to do or say. She shrank back into the
shadow of the door while the young
man passed her, with the watch and
chain visible in his hand, and disappear
ed in the passage that led to his own
apartment.
The young lady entered her room,
and sat down to reflect upon this very
peculiar occurrence. Could it be that
her lover wanted to carry away the
watch and chain as a remembrance of
her, or that he merely wanted some
thing that was hers to put under his
pillow that night? Or was the proceed
ing intended as a joke, which would
be explained and laughed over in the
morning? Surely it could be nothing
worse than this, and she resolutely
dismissed the dark suspicion that in
truded itself upon her. She went to
bed, but her thoughts of the strange
conduct of her lover kept her awake a
long time, though she assured herself
that the affair would be pleasantly ex-
planned in the morning.
But in the morning the young officer
was gone. He had risen at an early
hour, as was his intention, and had
returned to camp long before Augusta
was awake. She searched the room
which he had occupied, but saw no signs
of the watch and chain, nor even note
from him to explain the disappearance
of the articles. This was unaccountable,
and the young lady was naturally much
displeased; but she concluded that it
would be best to say nothing about the
matter at present, hoping that Coulter
would explain it satisfactorily on his
next visit.
She saw him after the lapse of few
days. He came to the house as he had
been in the habit of coming, and there
was nothing in his appearance or man.
ner to indicate that anything unusual
had occurred. He treated Augusta
precisely as he had treated her before
his strange declaration of love was
spoken, and made not the remotest
allusion to the affair of the watch and
chain.
This was quite displeasing to Augusta,
who determined to draw him out in
private as her questioning looks in
public had failed to produce any effect
upon him. She asked him to walk with
her, and when they were entirely alone
began to question him.
" Did you bring back my watch and
chain, Frank ?" she asked.
"Your watch and chain ?'' was his
surprised reply.
s. Yes, my watch and chain, which
you carried away the last time you spent
the night here"
+" / don't know what you mean. /
have not had your watch and chain. ]
know nothing about them.''
1t was then the young lady's turn to
show surprise and indignation.
You surely cannot have forgotten, ;
said she, "that you took those articles