Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-11-16

should have gone OIL without saying
goodbye but her mind was to'
occupied with certain other thought
which were filling il just now for hel
to think very much about Jack or hi
concerns, Only tender-hearted Mariar
wondered how he was bearing the keeI
sorrow she knew he was feeling, an,
comprehended all the misery that wa
expressed In that sudden flight.
Edward Archer was paying a lons
visit to his relations, and seemed yer,
naturally to have slipped into the ia
miliar intercourse that Jack had 81
freely INDUCED with tho two girls
His admiration Of Nelly was open ant
evident; he praised her pretty hair
her charming taste, her unAagginl
chcerfulness, with the utmost freedom,
With Marian hc was much less frank
yet he was always kind and attentive,
AMI anxious for her to accompany them
in all their cxpiditions-boating, cro'
quet, or lawn tennis. Even when hi'
summer holidays were ended, and he
had returned to town, Saturday and
Sunday frequently saw him at Blox-
ham. Nelly guessed very well what
brought him though he did declare that
he boating there was irresistible, and
an afternoon on the river was better
than any amount Of tonic.
One Saturday afternoon, late in the
autumn, he called and found Nelly out.
If We wait till she returns he said
to Marian, we shall get no boating,
for. the afternoons are growing very
short. Will you not come at once?'
Marian hesitated.
Nelly will not be in till tea-time: il
you arc to go out pt all, you must not
wait for her. Mrs. Manners remarked,
'and indeed, Marian, think you re-
quire little air; you have been stay
ing in, dear child, with me all the
week.
Marian was quite pleased to have the
rccrcatisn, only little perplexed that
Edward should be so willing to start
without Nelly. She was still more
perplexed when, on reaching the river,
Edward quietly remarked:
will you mind taking walk along
this lovely bank instead Of having a row
this afternoon?'
Not at all, Marian replied unsus-
piciously. Perhaps you are feeling
tired
NO it is not that. A boat is not
the most convenient place for CONVEX
sation, and / want to talk to you,
Marian
1T is about Nelly thought Marian,
warned by something in his tone and
manner; and somehow, gentle and
unselfsh as she was, poor Marian
shrank with an unaccountable dread
from hearing the news she felt was
coming.
She was one of those girls to whom
everyone came with their condolences,
never taking into consideration the pos
sibility of her own feelings being enlist
ed in the trouble in which they claimed
her sympathy. 1t had been so often
before, and Marian had not shirked the
pain thus inflicted, so now she put
aside all thought of self, and prepared
to hear Edwards story, and to aid him
in any way that lay in her power.
They walked on some little distance
in silence. Edwards usual nonchalant
ease of manner seemed to have desert
ed him entirely. He looked anxious
and distressed, started conversation
several times on some commonplace
subject and finally drew up suddenly
under little clump Of trees, and stood
leaning against the low wall, gazing
abstractedly into the river.
Il think l think 1 can guess what
you want to tell me- Marian ventur-
ed to say, presently, in pity for his
evident distress, yet wondering why he
should be so diffident. 1T is about
Nelly
%, no, he exclaimed hastily
'Whatever could make you think that,
Marian? Did you imagine I had fallen
in love with the pretty child?'
YES she replied, and then her eyes
fell before his, and in a moment she
saw her mistake.
Marian, l love you; you think l
am rash but it seems to me ages since /
first loved you. / could not wait to
to know my fate any longer. Tell me
that 1 have not ruined my cause by my
haste.
Who could have believed that quiet
Marian, who all this time had cheerful
ly resigned to Nelly the attention that