Daily Republican., 1884-10-04

BY GERALDINE FLEMING.

BY GERALDINE FLEMING.
cant dikbelieve what ( see with
my own eyes and hear with my own
ears" Mrs. Hooker declared, with ener
gy.; and you know, Mandy, | never
talk agin nobody"
Nor I neither" Miss Amanda Blu.
low declared, with lofty emphasis. &" II
IL agin' my principles to chatter about
my neigh bors' dom = but as you say,
Celia Allan's conduct wasn't decor.
GUS"
And she always seemed SO nice
and quiet In her ways, too" Mrs.
Hooker observed In accents meant to
express righteous disapproval OF all
"a Ise Appearances.
Them's always the onee, Mrs.
Hooker. Still water runs dee p : ana
l always did say that Celi& Ailan was
too soft-like and sweet for honesty"
Miss Bulow remarked, with grandilo-
quenc'. II stands 10 reason she's
ueceiving Charley SslbJrne. 1
shouldn't wonder now II she be often
out driving with the other man.
Where was It you seeu them, Mrs.
Hooker?" was the eager query.
g. 1t was right here, ON this very cor.
ner," Mrs. Hooker explained, with al
accession OF the confidential In every
infection of her dry, shrill voice, and
in every twinkle uf her small, severe
eyes. lit was right here, mewhere
nigh on Two o. lock this morning ~ l
Was coming home from nursing poor
Liza's dying baby And all at once
a plungin' aud carriage and horses
n n svaar afnnnaA daaA
short alongside the walk. And dark
man, handsome ana fine like them in
pictures, said something cautious like
10 the girl beside him. And she laughed
in a ally, wicked way and then he
kissed her and says, You need not be
afraid, dear And then she jumped
out from the carriage and them grand
horses tore down the street like mad.
That girl was Celia and she looked all
round In = guilty sort Of way, and
when she seen me she acted slammed.
like and walked off fast toward her
house up the block. really think.
Mandy, some one ought to tell Char.
ley Selborne about her deceitfnl goin' e
on"
al wouldn't be the one to say any.
thing about it," was Miss Bulow's sol.
emn assertion !; not ~ it's likely he'd
believe any thing agin' the girl-men
never do till It's toO late-but amt one
to meddle In my neighbours affairs lam
,.gin' all kinds Of tattlinR."
ITO be sure you be, Mandy. and 80 be
l." was the glib response. 81 never
repeat one syllable of the queer things l
b ear, and wouldn't for the world tell
about the queer sights 1863, even to
you. Mandy. Though l don't mind
limiting 10 you in confidence that I've
suspicioned Celia Allan for along time u
And 80 have 1, for that matter, -
said the other. 81 always thought abe
was no better than She But, oh,
goodness, Mrs. Hooker, there is Charley
Selborne now 1t was him there by
the store door and II stands TO reason,
he's heard all we said"
Each woman glanced at the other 10 a
scared, discounted manner ~ they
looked after the manly figure that was
swiftly vanishing in the purple dusk.
He'll never 60 near that girl agin', "
said one.
"And all the better for him." the
other commented, grimly.
Meanwhile Charly Selborne was pom
dering upon that questionable bit Of
gossip. He felt indignant and altogether
cit is very singular" he thought.
Mrs Hooker cannot be wholly mis-
taken, for she knows Celia we'll and
although she is an accomplished tat
| tier, 1t Ia hardly probable that she
would circulate u deliberate untruth."
Perhaps he was not mindful just then
that the value of " truth depends often
| on the method Of telling.
Cecilia may be Innocent of any deceit
or improperly, he decided at length.
But l, most assuredly, shall not solicit
her confidence. can only be patient
and await developments"
But what lover, assaulted by hostile
hints without and Jealous fears within
ever yet possessed his soul with pa
| thence ?-or behaved with the circum.
spect gentleness he might have pur
posed? Despite the fine intent Of gra
cious I'm concern, the pangs of the tor
msnted heart take all the color and
light from the countenance, leaving the
ugl iness Of wrath or blank despair.
Ar time went on, the change In Char
ley Selborne was 30 pronounced thai
his betrothed noted 1t and marveled.
-" You have something on your mind
Charley what is ~" she inquired
once, glancing anxiously toward him
/ a. 10 7"o woeouinS Aot AL AoIuiuuiub
silence.
81 was thinking" he began, NOR.
gloomily than calamity, chow fail
and sweet you seem, and wondering Il
you are indeed as true as l could wish
the wife of my heart to ever be-"
A lovely flush suffused the pretty
face from the girlish, innocent brows u
the daintily dimpled chin. and the
lover deemed that swift blush could
only be significant of conscious guilt
and the trouble OF his countenance deep
ened.
You do not accuse me of falsity, dc
you Charley" the girl returned, hall
indignantly, her pride aggrieved, hel
loving heart wounded by that undeser
we'd harshness of tone aid manner.
| " 1 do not accuse you at all-no
more than / desire the confidence you
do not choose to give me-" he answered
hotly, the last poor shred of his Wanted
patience yielding to q sudden passion
ate anger. You best know, Celia,
what manner OF cause you have afford
ed me for doubt AMI disappointment"
know Of Done," she protested, In
hasty, girlish resentment. ~ have
kept no confidence from you-at least
unlees--"she stammerel, and then
paused with crimson cheeks and avert
cd eyes.
The young man slowly arose to his
feet, and without the slightest percep.
tible emotion. His suspense, he felt,
was over there could be no longer, he
deemed, the smallest doubt ct her
|deceit-of an offense he could not par.
don In one to whom he had proffered
the reverenced place of wife.
see how IL H., he said in 10 voice
which had become strangely passion
less. 1t was not all senseless tattle,