The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-09-01
no no other" sne answered, ans with ear
lneat warmth


Because" Ichabod furiously
thundcred, -.H L thought that
sncaking wretch whose name vile
rumor links with yours had but the
smallest ground for hope I'd I'd
o"Pray calm yourself; he is moth
ing-less than nothing-to me"
Diantha fastened to interrupt.
There was something sepulchral
in Ichabod's voice when next ne
spoke:
ssss"My life hangs on the, question l
am about to ask !! Do not, fssntreat
you, answer it lightly. Adorable
creature, do you love me-" =
The answer came in a voice 50
Still and small that Watt Wemyss's
ears. strained as they were to catch
the slightest sound, failed to hear
it. But the sequel made it easy to
divine the purport. 5aala,
"Yoar words have thrilled my
soul with joyw cried Ichabod, in &C.
stasy. Come, darling, let me clasp
you to this bosom, henceforth to be
your resting-placc"
Watt could bear to hear no more.
His first impulse was to rush in
and throttle his supplanter with
the faithlcss Diantha in his arms;
but on rejecting that Ichabod was
a strapping, braway fellow, whose
prowess had more than once been
proved, he gave way to his discre-
ton. and made u rapid advance
homewards.
"No! I'll not let her drive me de-
spair and strychuine," Watt wisely
concluded, after an hours cool refec.
tion in the quiet of his chamber.
"I'll bear it like a man, and let hex
see l do"
The next evening was that OF
Mrs. Blount's party. 1t was to be a
grand affair. Everybody was invi.
ted, Watt Wemyss among the rest.
He was to have been Diantha Drew's s
escort on the occasion; but that
was out of the question now. OF
course Ich. Bligh would supply his
place. Still, he wasn't going to stay
away. He would put on stiff up
per lip and go, if it was only to
show Diantha how little he cared
for her detection
Watt Wemyss's get-up was
something stunning; and there was
a noticeable swagger in his air as
he strobe up and down Mrs. Blount's
spacious parlors. Just let him see
Disntha Drew; that was all!
Wouldn't he freeze her with a stare?
He had been keeping one on ice all
day for her!
1t was already late when Dian
tha made her appearance. She
didn't come with Ichabod Biigh af-
ter all, but in company with her
aunt, and looking anything but
cheerful. Possibly she had been
crying: at least her eyes looked red
enough.
"And no WONDER" thought Watt
Wemyss, "if she had any con.
sciencew
The frigid stare was thrown away
on Diantha, who was swept into the
crowd, and Watt saw her no more
till some hours later.
At last there came q lull In the
music and dancing, and word was
passed to the guests that if they
would assemble in the main parlor,
there was q little surprise in store
for them.
When all had found places, a cur
tain at the farther end was drawn
up, revealing a miniature stage,
with appropriate appointments, and
a lady and gentleman entering from
the wing.
Watts heart, in spite Of the dis
cipline he had put it through. leap
ed to his mouth as the two perform
ers turned to face the audience and
he recognized Diantha Drew and
Ichabod Bligh. But judge of his
surprise when he heard them re-
peat the very dialogue that had been
such gall and wormwood to him the
day before! He saw and heard out
little Of the play; for he hung
his head, overwhelmed with confu-
sion, and felt more like q donkey
than he had ever done before.
He was too completely abashed
to risk meeting DiantLa in the
presence of spectators, and took
advantage of the rush to supper to
steal away unobserved. .-
He made an early call next morn
ing, though, and made q clean
breast of how he had played the
spy on Diantha's and Ichabod's re-
bearsal, and taking it for real, had
run away in a mad fit of jealousy.
Then Diantha up and told how she
had cried her eyes red because
Watt hadn't come to take her to
the party. Then they both laughed.
and promised never to distrust each
other again; and a month after
wards they were married and Dan
tha made as good wife as Aunt
Elinor had been to the late Abdiel
Meigs.