The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-03

Dora, whom you have often met in town..
is Staying there with them; so you will
have companion and sympathiser. And
now will go and talk to Jellicoe."
need not follow in detail the progress
OF the new scheme of double elopement.
Sufnce IL TO say that the bogus correspond
ence uestlned to mislead Miss Marrable
was steadily kept up; that Amy and Vivian
found other means of safely communica-
ting with one another; that the Browns
were written to; that the licenses were
obtained; that three carriages-and-pairs
were engaged, one to call at the hotel at
nine O'CLOCK p. M, and two at half-past;
that the billiard-marker at the Cors-y-
Gedol, spruce young fellow of some edu-
cation, was brlbed, at considerable cost, to
personate Vivian Jellicoe and to run awav
with Miss Marrable.
AT length, Wednesday morning arrived;
aud with it came the last of the billet-doux
that Were to fall into the cunning spin
ster's hands. One of them had been com.
posed by Vivian and Robert, and written
by the former on pink paper, folded billet
douX-Wise. 1t ran as follows:
NY OWN AMY have satisfactorily ar
ranged everything. The carriage will be
at the door of the hotel at nine O'Clock.
shall not show myself, for your aunt NAV
be about. Be careful, therefore, to avoid
her; ana enter the carriage as quickly as
mistake have toS1 the driver to wear a
white choker around his neck. l hope that
you Will bepunctual. Everything depends
upon punctuality. Till nine O'Clock good
bye.-Your most devoted VIVIAN.
Miss Marrable, after reading this note,
refolded it as usual, and took care
that 1t reached Amy. Then, with the
consciousness that she was about to per-
petrate great and good action, she sat
down tod
Amy,s reply to be brought to TO her by the
trefEhersus maid. The note, which was
very briet, came to Miss Marrable in less
than half an hour. DEAR VIv,o wrote
Amy, Il win be ready, and will look out
for the white choker.-Y our loving A."
In spite Of the ordeal which was before
her, the good old spinster was perfectly
calm and unHurried At one O'Clock she
made very hearty luncheon; at half-past
two she took her nieces for walk, and
talked to then with extraordinary affabili-
ty about the emancipation of women; and
at half-past SIX she appeared at the table
PhOte, and, Just as if the occasion were an
ordinary one, complained of the soup be-
ing too peppery, the fish too cold, and the
admirable. Lucy and Amy, on the other
hand, could scarcely conceal their excite
ment and agitation. They each looked at
least hundred times during dinner at the
clock upon the mantel-piece: and they
each started and turned red whenever the
noise of carriage-wheels without was
heard. After dinner, Miss Marrable went
again to her room and began to make her
preparations.
chow sad it will be-" she thought to her
self, "for poor young Jellicoe when 1 dis
cover myself and overwhelm him with re.
proaches. Men are but poor creatures
Perhaps he will faint. Yes; l will take
my salts-bottle." She wrapped herself in
an ulster belonging to Amy, and having
shrouded her face in a thick veil, took a
seat at her window, which happened to be
Immediately above the front door of the
hotel.
Meantime Edward Griffiths, the billiard.
marker, was ill at ease. He knew Miss
Marrable by sight, and looked forward
with terror TO the prospect of an encounter
with her at close quarters. Nevertheless
he had Vivian Jellicoe'S five-pound note in
his pocket, and he was determined to see
the affair bravery through. He felt, how.
ever, that his natural bravery would not be
sufficient to support him, and he therefore,
at about six o'clock began to swallow a
succession of potent doses of whisky and
water, with the object Of laying in a stock
of Dutch courage. Whether the whisky
was bad or the water was too powerful, !
cannot say but at ten minutes to nine,
when Vivian Jellicoe arrived to give final
directions and counsel to his substitute, he
found Edward Griffitbs decidedly the worse
for liquor. Fortunately the young fellow
was neither quarrelsome nor noisy in his
cups. His main ambition seemed to be to
go 10 sleep in peace; and no sooner had
Vivian bundled him into one corner of the
carriage, which was waiting in the stable
yard, than Mr.. Griffiths incontinently
slumbered. The carriage was then driven
70 f,.nr 4 ,Npt Ln%
Marrable, from her post of vantage, saw
it, and, remarking that the coachman wore
a white choker, descended at once, and
listened, as she went, outside Amy's room,
to satisfy herself that that young lady had
not forestalled her. The porter with
alacrity opened the carriage door. In the
dark shadows of the interior, Miss Mar
rable caught sight of the figure of man
and making sure that all was right, she
entered at once. An instant later she was
being whirled northward along the lonely
Harlech Road.
Half an hour afterwards two
other carriages left the hotel,
but in the opposite direction. In
one Of them were Lucy and Mr.. Rhodes
and in the other, Amy and Mr.. Jellicoe. 1t
was nearly midnight ere they arrived at
the Browns house at Llanyltid; but the
Browns were all up and waiting for them,
and the two runaway couples were warmly
welcomed, and Hospitality taken care of.
Miss Marrable was less fortunate. As
soon as the carriage in which she sat had
been driven beyond the lights of the town,
she threw aside her veil and gazed with
magnificent scorn towards the dim form
upon the seat in front of her. The look
eliciting no response of any kind, Miss
Marrable ventured to cough, at first gently,
and then with considerable violence; but
still tha fiOura took no notice.
"This is exceedingly strange" thought
the spinster lady. Il must adopt more
active measures" And with great tender.
ness she prodded Mr. Griffiths with the
point of her umbrella. The billiard-marker
groaned in his sleep. "Mr. Jellicoe!" she
exclaimed in her deepest and most threat
ening tones. She had counted upon this
exclamation producing an instantaneous
and astonishing effect upon her companion
and she was woefully disappointed when
he merely groaned again.
"Gracious !" she said to herself; she is
ill. He would never go on like that if he
were not ill. The fright has been toe
much for him. o, how sorry l am!
These men are such weak creatures
must stop 'he carriagew And
throwing down the sash of the window, she
put out her head and cried out to the driver
to pull up his horses. But the driver, like
the billiard marker, had been very liber.
ally feed; and he was determined that
nothing should stop him until he reached
Harlech; he therefore cracked his whip
to drown Miss Marrable's voice, and drove
down the next hill at pace which threat
ened to shake the carriage to pieces.
"Stop, stopw For goodness sake, stopp
shouted Miss Marrable; but finding that
her words were not listened to, she drew
in her head, and strove to revive the
wretched man in front of her. She held