Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-05

directly behind that of my chatty
acquaintance, who greeted me as sur
prisedly as IL they had supposed me n
permanent inhabitant Of the Antipodes
until that particular moment, and 1
favored them with smile much more
brilliant than it would have been, /
imagine, had / not heard their interest
ing and momentous dialogue.
My seat was not entirely vacant.
Indeed, found small room to place my
slim form and Quakerish skirts quite
comfortably and neatly in the little
space beside the aisle, that WAS no moro
fastidiously clean than one usually finds
that OF an ordinary coach to be-
A gentleman occupied the place by
the open window gentleman of goodly
weight and proportions, evidently, who
from his aristocratically small ears to
his shapely, polished boots, was wrapped
in great rich brown ulster, and whose
yisagc was completely concealed by the
big black Rubens hat he wore jauntily
upon haughtily poised head.
/ had installed myself in my limited
seat rs unostentatiously and cozily as ]
could possibly do, when the shielding
Rubens hat was pushed aside, and the
dark, handsome face Of Larry Murray
was turned toward me, and for an in
stant ] could feel the de, dly pallor tha
was making my own face icily cold.
He smiled upon me with an expression
| thought of pity, and that half mad
dened me- Then from somewhere in his
great ulster he took a notebook aud
pencil
Il am pleased TO see you again" hc
wrote, thinking me still deaf mute
You are looking remarkably we'll, and
lovely, too, / must add, Lulecn, al
though you have always seemed TO me
most lovely"
sat still and motionless Is statuc,
and seemingly ns quite unheeding. But
large tears were slowly falling over my
checks that were becoming hot and
crimson, and all my pulses were throb-
bing fcycrishly and fast.
was tempted TO act for a lit:lc while
the role OF dumb and deaf victim Of
fate; but have neither the prcdilcc-
tion nor the ability for thcpari of scrio.
comic
So l gasped and hammered, and be.
came awkwardly embarrassed quite
naturally.
- am entirely comforiab able" ! an
swercd with distinct tones, and smiled
with an cxultatioa that is pardonablc.
/ trust, when | observed that Miss Cara
and her companion flushed guiltily on
hearing my voice. "And I am very
we'll, indeed. Larry. have something
to tell you, and / have sufficient reason
to consider this the scasonahlc time and
place. Miss Cara told you part Of Il
truth, and l desire to tell you ALL"
Ny voice faltercd, for | was saying
something that seemed TO me very bold
and ungraccful.
Long ago, when / was only a child
of fifteen, nv dying father be;rothcd me
TO a manivhom he scarcely knew. but
TO whom he owed debts Of honor. The
circumstances we're such that ] should
very likely have become the wife OF that
person had he not in less than wear
after the burial OF my poor parent been
killed in one of his orgies. l. my ex-
planation, humilia;ing as it is to me,
sufficient, Ia ry? If It is not, ask Miss
Cara If anything remains 90 bc explained.
She evidently for OF that
"'A lie tia, - half the truth
L. the very worst lic of all
when she told you that bit Of my his
tory. In telling you this, Larry, here.
and at such a time, an not hoping to
regain your old regard. Believe me,
only desire not to bc misunderstood
and misiudged."
l was sobbing foolishly then. like the
child l always was and always shall be,
| think; aud even the smoke-gray plume
that swept over my pearl-gray bonnet
was all dabbled and discolored by my
profuse tears as bowed my head low
in my shaking hands.
Presently some one bent over me, and
with a caressing movement turned my
wet face toward him.
"Tboth misunderstood and misjudged
you, Luleen, confessed my Larry; "but
think my darling is wise enough to
comprehend how just such sorrowful
mistakes are only too often made. Long
ago / was so sorely ashamed for having
doubted you, that / promised our dear
God that would trust you blindly and
always il He would but give me back