The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-08

But back he came again yesterday and
eloped with Eva late last evening. Oh,
it was wicked; it was scandalous; and
the whole story is oil over town.
wonder now If you know about Miss
SomerblP"
"No," said Miss Martha, white to the
lips.
"Well, it seems as il he was engaged
to this Miss Somerby, rich old maid
She is mad enough at being Tilted.
Somebody telegraphed to her father
and he was here this morning to ascer
tain the facts of the case"
"Whati Tom engaged2' cried Martha,
in amazement.
''Who said anything about Tom {
You must be wandering in your mind.
1t is Arnold Edgecourt 1 am talking
about"
Without another word, without the
slightest excuse, Miss Martha broke
away from the hand of the friendly COS.
sip, and almost ran down the street.
When nearly at her own gate she
rushed blindly against somebody, and
looking up with hurried excuse, saw
Tom.
"Martha," he gasped, forgetting for the
moment in his excitement the gulf be.
tween them. "You have heard it all;
I see it in your face Come right in;
you look really i'll. I did not know you
cared so much for Eva. But the scan
dal will die out, and 1 know Arnold
will be good to her. He sent me a
telegram saying they were married at
Briefly early this morning. He was to
marry Miss Somerby next month, but
he never loved her; he was tempted by
her enormous wealth.
By this time they had reached the
cottage and gone into the little dark
ened parlor, where the shutters had
been carefully closed by old Hannah to
keep out dust and flies.
"Tom," said Miss Martha, laying her
hand on his sleeve; "can you ever for
give me2 l see everything very plainly
now. 1t was not you l heard say man
was fool to engage himself to q
woman older than himself. Your voice
and Arnold's are so much alike, and
did not know of his engagement"
Then she told him all she had heard
when she had gone to the old cabin for
the spoons the evening OF the supper.
"Martha," said Tom, in his manly
way, 81 never loved any woman but
you. did not know you were older
than /, for you never spoke of your age,
and it would have made no difference to
me anyhow. | thought of Eva only
a child, and knowing of his engage
ment, of which he had forbidden me to
speak, it distressed ME to see his atten-
ton to her, for I saw that she was
learning to love him. That evening in
the garden I gave him long lecture,
and pointed out to him the harm he
was doing the girl He promised
to see her no more; but though
ne went home few days
later, he corresponded with he,
and ended by eloping with her yester-
cay evening. did not imagine for an
instant that you thought me in love with
Eva, We both labo.el under mis-
take, Martha. I noticed your growing
GOODNESS, and thought you were becom
ing weary of your engagement to poor
village doctor, You did not seem t.
care for lovemaking or caresses, and ]
could not, of course, wish to force my
affection upon you
- was wrong, Tom, for do love you
dearly" and then, as he took her in his
arms and pressed her to his heart, kiss
ing repeatedly the soft cheek on which
there was now no lack of color, she
added softly, land our engagement
need not be of longer duration, Tom.
You hesitated to marry me while had
so little and you nothing; but you viii
not hesitate now that am rich. Yes
as he glanced az her hlack dress -''my
aunt is dead, and she left me forty thou
sand dollars. have suffered enough
for my mistake, and what is mine is
yours, dear Tom."
And TOMS tender kissrgave cheerful
assent to all she said.