The Russellville Democrat., 1881-08-18

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 At first thought, I 6are say you will consider my proposition premature; but and he smiled suggestively-"stranger things have happened. You cannot possibly have failed to know, Miss Fen~ ton, the admiration and respect with which I have always regarded you. You are equally aware that my daughter looks to you, upon you, next in affection and dependence to her mother. My sister leaves my house very shortly will you remain, as my wife, as Flossles mother?-for you are the only woman who will ever fill that position"
 Muriel was sitting with the child in her lap, and in her shock of amazement she sunk back almost helplessly against the cushions.
 "Sl!"
 It was all she could say. But the thoughts that were crowding fast and furious over her, were almost beyond her endurance to contain.
 One month a wldower-and propos- ing marriage already.
 Somehow she was mortified out of her usual dislike for the man, perhaps by his very audaeity, and, certainly, he lad his case very plainly before her. while, from sheer force of his masterful- ness, he went quietly, yet resolutely, on with certain touches of passion that can never. under any circumstances, fail somehow to impress woman.
 It seems unnecessary, so far as am concerned, to say-I love you, and yet l know I ought to tell you-not how much, for that would not be possible, only a lifetime of devotion can prove that. But-I love you want you for my wife-you will not say me nay 2"
 And then, Muriel put little Flossie gently down, and then stood up before him pale, trembling, disconcerted-hor' rified.
 "Mr. Stretton, cannot tell you how awful this is to me. For your dead wife's sake I will consider it unsaid; for this cnild's sake. 1 will forgive it. But l cannot remain under your roof another hour.p
 For answer, be took Flossie's hand and led her to the door, telling her to run aud play somewhere. Then he turned tue key. and walked back to Muriel, standing still.
 Miss Fenton, can understand your intentions as we'll as though you had spoken them to me. You oislike and despise me you have not the remotest lNlOd OI NOu III iONS with a man whose name is Cyril Vernon al the same, knowing all these un. deniable facts, in the face of all, I have asked you to. and l intend that you shall marry me-"
 A strange sensation of his power, her helplessness crept vaguely, yet terrify- ingiv, over her"
 Because" he went on, his voice | Gov tr,t@ 1nt- md rlffu 1T when l have told you, first, that ai- ready a gossiping public have spoken of your stay here since my wife's death, and that 1 have it from indisputabe aI- 1 tro,iiv tl,ai. on last Wrtlresdav. Nr Vernon was married to Miss Gordon | I think you will be wise enough to at least think of it, and discreetly decide | in my favor"
 She walked weakly to the chair she had previously vacated, and almost fell | upon it, crushed as nearly to death as a | human hope and human life ever | were crushed. Not-and it hurt her to l realize 1t amidst all that tempest of an- guish = not so much that cruel gossip had sulied her pure name, her consci- 1 entious duty-acts, as that Cryll was | marrled. Cyril false-her one hope and | happiness gone, to which she had clung so Loyalty in all the dark days of these 1 past months,
 The room seemed to whirl round and 1 round, a green darkness suddenly in- l volved her. She saw Mir. Stretton step suddenly toward her as she felt herself l sliding suddenly of the chair, in such deadly, dizzy faintness. And them
 When the qulet-voiced, gentle-man- nered nurse told her, three weeks after ward, that it had been a hand-in-hand struggle for life with her. Muriel was be- widered and amazed, and in the days that followed, when remembrance and realization asserted themselves, she wondered why she bad not been left to die.
 NJ. Strctton never came to her room but uufailingly. each morning, sent his message and bouquet of rare flowers.
 And as Murel grew slowly back to health. and Mir. Stretton renewed his resold'e attentions, there were umes when her heart and courage failed her and through weakness of body and brain, she let herself drift along with the current tat was too strong for her. Uu'il she was well enough to insist up0u bciGg taken to her own little un homelike lodgings.
 And then one evening, when Hubert S'rction came and urged his suit in a passionate, Iesolute way, that somehow terlled her, she said him yes for very desperation's sake, and agreed that when he cane week later. she would be ready to go to him, only he mus give her the whole week, and not set her once.
 He left her at 10 o'clock in the even ing, and the instant the door closed or him, she rushed to her room and lost no an instant in dragging her clothes dowr from the wardrobe, and hystericallv frantically plunging them in her trunks her cheeks alternately paling and flush ing under the excitement.
 "Only a week-only a short week tt get as far as l can from him, where h' fcan never, never find me. But vii .1' not find me wherever l go ? Am l Safe so long as tread the earth, from maI SO desperately persistent as he ?"
 By day light she was ready, and whil' Hubert Stretton was drDking bis cotie' leisurely in dressing gown and slippers Muriel and her luggage were at the sta Iiou waiting-not for the express due Il three minutes, but for her fate.
 But for Cyril Vernon, who steppe' out of a carriage as the long traiI steamed in, fair young girl on his arm
 with eyes like wood yiolets and hal like spring sunshine.
 He instantly saw Muriel, and wake
 rapidlv up to her, his eyes aligbt, hl