Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-01-27
a Lovers TimelyWarning

here 2"
Il am not concerned about it,"
swell, | would be if | were in
your pIace''
1.-The people about here may be
trusted"
"How about tramps ?"
"Oh, nobody bothers about them.
How is tramp to know there is any
thing valuable here ?"
'They do have ways of finding
out-they tell each other, | sup
pose"
81 never give myself any concern
either about the plate or money"
eyes, l know you are careless,
and plucky. But that makes no diff
ference. If l were you, [ would put
that plate where it wouldn't tempt
any one to cut my throat"
81 dare say. You are thoughtful. "
"You might as well say I'm cow
ardly, too.
''No l know you are not. )"
"You will take my advice ?"
cpl think about it, Tom"
He looked at her curiously, cut at
a fly on the porch with his whip, and
made an attempt-a very sorry at
tempt-at a whistle. She looked at
him with an amused smile.
Il am very contrary girl, amt
I?n
"You are. But you are your own
mistress ?"
"And mean always to be-" still
smiling, still looking GOV ertly at
him. She was teasing him. He
knew that much. But he did not
know what many another man would
have thought of in his place, and
that was that no woman will be at
the trouble to tease a man unless
she is interested in him.
"That settles it," thought Tom
Telford,
He half turned towards her, and
said in very low voice, Good
morning, Marian," then looked at
her suddenly, searchingly, wheeled,
and walked off, saying, "I'm off
mind my warming"
He did not stop until he reached
the road, quarter of mile below
the house. There he leaned his hand
on the edge of his buggy, and re-
Elected.
That was the end of it then. She
always meant to be her own master.
She need not have said that to him.
He had never courted her favor.
When every man in the county was
breaking his neck to get in her favor
he had kept away, because he
thought he had no chance. Because
he wasn't the style of man he thought
she would like. Because she never
gave him any encouragement. Be-
cause she had ten dollars to his one.
Because-Pshaw 1t was all over.
He really intended that morning to
try and see if she would show the
least bit of interest in him. He was
going to tell her about his conclu-
sions to go West, when that silver
plate in the servant s hands remind
ed him of the number of times he
had thought of her alone in that big
house with all that wealth. Some
times her man servant was away all
Saturday and Sunday night, leaving
her with the hired girl. He couldn't
help speaking as he did. 1t was
tempting Providence, he thought.
So he left her without telling her
what every man and woman and
child in Alton knew, namely, that
Tom Telford was going West next
morning to try his fortune. He
stepped into his buggy, made the
kissing sound a man makes who
loves his horse and bowled down the
road, never looking back. From
thenceforth his face must never turn
to Marian Moore's house.
He did not notice that he was fol-
lowed by huge dog, dog so high
so long, so big in bone, in limb and
jaw that no man could see it in town
or country without turning to look
at him and admiring him. The dog
trotted after him as fast as the horse
trotted.
When he turned from her, bidding
har uOnI vonrp;nn Aarsor Annra