The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-11-30
TWO SECRETS.

LLOYD Sulton,a good-looking, man
ly young felly. leaning on the halt
open field gate, looked earnestly IN
the face of the young girl on the OPP
posite side of the fence.
She shrank from meeting his eye
as she answered:
II am not accustomed to saying
what | don't mean"
He made no answer. Hetty
scratched industriou.ly with q bit OF
wild-rose stem upon the trunk OF a
beech tree which oyershadowed
them. Suddenly she discovered
that she was unconsciously tracing
over the initials Il. 5. and "W. IL"
the latter her own-cut in the
beech bark. She hastily withdrew
her hand and threw away the rose
stem.
"Do you remember what you said
to me, Hetty, the day / cut those
letters % asked the young man.
Something foolish, | dare say" 7"
she answered, with affected careless
ness.
"You told me you loved me-" he
said in a low voice.
Hetty stopped and plucked asprig
of clover.
"Perhaps / thought so, then"
she said, intently examing the bloos-
SONS.
"And only discovered your mis-
take when this rich popenjay from
the city made his appearance said
Lloyd, bitterly.
She looked up with fash in her
dark eyes. She knew very well that
she was doing something unworthy
of her, and lowering herself In
Lloyd's opinion, as well as causing
him pain, and his reproach stung
her.
II have right to like or dislike
whom / please" she said. haught-
lily.
Heseized an unlucky grasshopper,
which, at that moment, lighted near
his hand, and savagely crushed it to
death. Hetty looked at him in sur
prise. 1t was so unlike Lloyd TO de-
liberately hurt anything.
"You are cruel p she said indig-
nantly.
Mot half so cruel as you. Hetty,
/ had no idea you were SO heartless
and mercenary."
The words escaped him unnwares.
Hetty flushed hotly.
''If that is your opinion Of me you
ought to be glad TO have found me
out in time" she said.
perhaps j ought" he retorted,
bitterly.
linen hope you will be satisf-
ed-as ami"
She gathered up the skirt of her
blue lawn dress and turned away.
Lloyd passed through the gate and
walked by her side along the grassy
meadow-path.
II didn't mean to offend you,
Hetty," he said in n more subdued
tone.
Il am not offended. / don't in
the leas. care for your opinion Of
me-" replied Hetty, biting her lip
and turning away her face that be
might not see the tears in her eyes.
They had reached point where
the pathway branched right and
LEFT, and coming along the latter was
a portly, acknowledgement, mid
dle-aged man, twirling cane, with
which he was decapitating the tall
weeds and field-daisies. On catch
ing sight of Hetty he quickened his
pace.
"Mr. Frisbee will see me home.
/ won't trouble you further, Mr..
Sutton" said Hetty, with an air of
great dignity, as she took step to
the left.
Now, this left-hand track was the
most direct and frequented way to
Hetty's home but the right-hand
pathway, leading along the little
stream and alder hedge, had ever
been the favorite with herself and
LLOYD.
The young man paused now, and
standing just where the two diverg-
ed, said,in low tone, agitated, yet
full of decision:
"Hetty, decide now, once for all !
Will you keep ON with me dow"
this path, or will you 60 with Mr..
Frisbee on the other Choose u
She hesitated, and her color went
and came.
"You have no right to speak to
me So"
Il have a right" he replied, firm
ly--"the right to know whether the
girl love is false or true"
Hetty, like Lloyd, was high-spir-
ited, and his look and tone angered
her.
aGo your own way, and / will go
mine p she said, proudly.
And without another word she
turned down the pathway by which
Mr.. Frisbee vas approaching.
Lloyd, as he reached the gate,
turned back to look at the two fig
ures slowly sauntering along the
green meadow
81 could never have dreamed it of
her. he thought. Il believed she
loved me. And to cast me off for a
fellow like that, whose greatest re-
commentator is his wealth J Oh,
Hetty. that | should be so mistaken
in youln
And Mr.. Frisbee, as he walked at
Hettyis side, admiring her girlish
beauty and her pretty. coqnettish