Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-01-09

me this evening. if you will. have
something Of Importance to tell you, he
added, hurriedly, growing redder thar
ever with embarrassment.
Cora looked at him wistfully. Wa:
it something about her father But she
dared not put the thought into words
there were too many about So she mere
ly bowed her head in acceptance OF his
invitation, and went away.
Half an hour later she was tucked in
to a trim little cutter beside him, dash
ing along over the moonlit road, and
waiting anxiously for him to reveal the
matter of Importance at which he had
hinted
But Frank was curiously silent for a
long while. 1t seemed to Cora that he
would never speak at las. with t. sud
den effort he said:
"Miss Cora, you've known me only a
few days, but you've seen enough of me
to know that am blunt spoken fellow,
so you won't be upset by what am 60
, ing to say. I'm not much OF a gentle
man, but haven't any bad habits and
make fair living-snd--well, want a
wife, little gal, and love you. Ifyou'll
have me Ill do my prettiest to make you
the happiest woman in the country"
Cora smiled up at him through tear
filed eyes, and this gave him courage to
slip one arm over the back Of the cutter
and draw her closer 10 his side.
She murmured something about be-
ing almost a stranger to him bu, Frank
had grown wonderfully bold, pressed
with his lips the lids over the girls dark
eyes and queried
Do YOU love any other man =
NO" she answered honestly enough;
(" | believe YOU are the best man ever
knew"
Wherupon Frank kissed her again.
upon the lips this time, and made sec
ond proposition, to which at first she
would not listen. But the Will and en-
ergy of her earnest-hearted woOer car
ried the day and the result was a call up
on the Justice of the Peace and when
they reentered the inn that night the
girl was Cora Pressey no longer bat Cora
Hollster, and Franks face was radiant
and triumphant.
In the dingy waiting room an excited
crowd was gathered
Frank cndeavored to hurry his wife
past the doorway, but her quick glance
had caught glimpse of familiar fg-
ure.
Father" she cried and stepped in
to the room.
Yes, there he was, hsggard and dis
heveled, with blood-sho. eyes and un-
shayen face. He might have been fine
looking once there was just the ghost
of a debonair air about him still despite
his wretchedness an officer guarded
him on either side.
"What mad he done - cried Cora
with pallid lips.
Some one in the crowd answered bru-
tally enough:
KILLED a brother gambler twenty
miles back; they're taking him through
to the city"
Then the poor little bride wen; in'o a
dead faint in her husbands arms and he
carried her up stairs with his brown
cheek against her white one.
All night he watched beside her while
she went from one deathly swoon into
another. At last in the gray morning
she smiled sadly into her husban DIS eyes
and whispered:
do not be troubled | will go away"
mot if ! can help it." answerered
Frank, with a grim set of his under lip
Then all at once he put his face down
on the pillow beside her and began tc
cry like a two -year-old bsby.
With her slender hands she s,roked
the mans big curly head and talked t.
him in a sweet, weary way that wen
straight to his warm heart.
Dear FRIEND" she said, q know
how unselfsh you are, but will not al
low you to make such sacrifice. ior
shall not share my shame"
"Look here, little woman. l knew al
about this affair yesterday morning =
that's why l was in a rush to get mar
ried. | knew they would bring Col
Pressey through here and | knew if di'
not make sure of you then that neve
should get you. My little darling wife.
he went on, kissing her hair and eye
and lips, thank God nothing can sepa
rate us, nothing but death"
And looking into her husbands eye
Cora knew that here was her safe hom
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