Middletown transcript., 1882-03-24
capped Minnie, and she was not deceived

capped Minnie, and she was not deceived
by his assumed air of gayety.
Tom," she suddenly exclaimed,
stopping ere they had got twO-thirds of
the way to the boat-house, wait right
here. What is the matter with you.
Tell me right here. l surely have Il
right to know"
:" Yes-no, nothing is the matter
with me-" stammered Tom, feeling
very uncomfortable.
Have you been betting heavily upon
this race ?''
Tom suddenly assumed solemn eX-
preston of countenance.
"No, not one cent, Minnie. But,
hang it, might as well tell you what
is the matter now as any time. Great
Heaven, it is fearful! Minnie, you can
be nothing more to me now."
Minnie StOckwell's beautiful face
turned ashy pale.
"What do you mean, Tom p
"I-I have hopelessly disgraced my
self"
"How ?''
s'In allowing myself to get mad and
challenge Hartley Brandon to a duel. ="
you challenged him ?"
He understood it so, and when he
picked it up l could not back out"
''Oh, Tom ~
"I know it is an everlasting dis
grace"
$ am very sorry"
Tom could not bear the term of re-
proach and he covered his face with his
hands.
But only for a moment did our hero
inc assume a reproachful attitude !;
then she advanced and put both arms
around her lovers neck.
"Why should l not be as much to
you now as ever, Tom P''
"AfteT disgracing myself ?'' and Tom
uncovered his face in surprise.
6 Yes, Tom, am very sorry that
you were led into the duel. But were
l not true to you in need would be
truly unworthy your loye'
''Thank heaven ~ was all impul-
sive Tom said, catching the form of his
true love i'll his strong arms and strain
ing her to him in one passionate en-
| brace.
And that afternoon no happier man
pulled an oar to the starting-line on
Crystal Lake than injudIcious and
hasty, yet generous and noble-hearted
Tom Hathaway.
In the start, Hartley Brandon OBJ
tanned the lead and kept it to the stake
which he also turned first. Matters
now looked as though he had an easy
victory.
But an experienced eye would have
perceived at a glance that the race was
far from being decided. Tom Hatha
way had been pulling a long, regular,
careless stroke, keeping at a uniform
distance, while Brandon, thinking him
self hard pushed, had pulled for all he
was worth, making truly a tremendous
pace, and leaving the remaining two
contestants far down the course and
virtually out of the race. Tom smiled
as he turned his stake and cut skill
fully across Brandon's stern. Not un-
til within half mile of home did he
begin to exhibit his tremendous powers.
Then he drew long breath, straight
ened his broad shoulders, and with a
couple Of marvellous lightning strokes
shot up notch nearer to his ad-
verSary.
But Brandon rallied and bore down
within a hundred yards of home a
length in advance.
Now came the final scratch.
The continuation of "DONALD
] DARKE, THE BALTIMORE DE-
TECTIVE, . from where it stops here,
will he found in No. 21 of the NEW
YORK WEEKLY, now ready and for
sale by every News Agent in the United
States. The NEW YORK WEEKLY
also contains the charming stories of
"A Golden Heart, - Tom Thatcher's
Quest - " Fighting Her Own Battle, "
1.-THE Beautiful Icicle," Merciless
Ben, the Hair-Lifter,' "Silverspur ;
or, A Fortune For Ransom, y " Tina,
the Little Lace-Maker of Brussels, - a
number of entertaining sketches, beau
tiful poems, answers to correspondents,
humorous paragraphs, and a variety Of
interesting reading matter. If you
cannot get the NEW YORK WEEK
LY from the News Dealer in your
town, send to this office, and we will
forward it to you at once, at six cents
per copy, by mail, postage paid. The
NEW YORK WEEKLY will be sent
to mail subscribers, postage free, at the
following rates: For three months,
75c. four months, S1.00; one year,
one copy, So ; one year, two copies, S. j;
one year, four copies, $40; one year,
eight copies, $40. ANY person who
sends $40 at one time, for eight copies,
is entitled to a ninth copy free. Ad-
dress all letters to STREET & SMITH,
25, 27, 90, and 81 Rose Street, New
York City.