McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-08-21

an OLD acquaintance, she aQmltCeu re-
luctantly, as the fair vision again van
ished. .t
Twill you indeed?" he commented
in gratified surprise.
II knew Celestia Ausley long ago."
Annie responded, with new gravity.
II never liked her, and am sorry she
has come to Garnwold.
"Why must every woman dislike an
other who happens to be beautiful or
in any manner superior?' the young
gentleman, querried, laughingly.
II only dislike shams," the girl an
swered in her blunt and direct way,
land the gilded sham more than all.
And 1 shall be sorry if Celestia de-
lude you, as she has succeeded in de-
luding many another who perhaps
were less" she hesitated, dclica.e
pink flush wave,ing over her calm fea-
lures.
''Less what?" he inquired, smiling
still with a certain indecent equar-
| unity, that her bluntest and most u
compromising candor could never pro-
woke.
LESS weak, am afraid, Aired"
| "You are more candid than fa;tel:-
ing, Annie" he returned uneasily, but
with no veIation. "But after all, l
love you the more dearly for your utter
frankness always in everything. And
you never appcehend nothing that will
ever cause you one slightest regret for
me-"
And he meant what he ave. ed.
But, nevertheless, as time went on he
| became unmindful of his promise
mindful OF nothing but the destinations
of one fair woman, the beck of whose
small white hand lad charm to lure
him wheresoever she might will. He
did not quite mean to abjure his alle9i-
ance to another; he certainly had no
wish to Srieve, nor TO affront his prom
ised bride; but he was, indeed, weak
so pitifully weak, and the temptress so
very fair.
OAnd beside, Annie seemed to have be-
come so placidly Indifferent to it all;
she never seemed 10 feel distrusiiul nor
neglected, but was always her seGate
and amiable self, maintaining only a
polite and mildly resolute reserve To-
ward the captivating woman against
whom she ventured no more warnings.
''Amie is not capable of any great
passion of any kind, neither of any ine
sentiment nor sweet enthusiasts" he
would think, apologizing to his own
conjunction. 81 like fire and spirit;
and L do not know that I should be
judged weak and blamable just because
[ turn to another for what she can her.
self never afford me.''
But perhaps in her quiet way, Annie
suffered; perhaps in her opinionated
way she believed that her weak and rc-
creant wanderer would sometime sure
ly return to her affections; certainly in
her Independent way she never seemed
to require the attentions that he had
latterly denied her. She went about
her strolls alone-sedate and prim anG
saskatchewan interchangeable ex-
plorer of all the picturesque wonders
OF Garnwold
Late one afternoon she paused in the
tangled hollow beside the little lake,
and reposed herself upon the cool dry
grass, listening absently to the drowsy
rustic of the leaves, and the lazy lap
ping of the water upon the rocks be-
low.
Presently the sound of familiar voices
came through the wall of frs before
her, and as half unwillingly she peered
into the glade beyond, she beheld her
betrothedshusband, and the fair woman
who had charmed his heart from her.
They were standing on the utmost
verge of The messy bank, she contean-
plating the purple waters that glistened
far below; but the man seemed uncOn-
scious of everything but her presence
he watched only for the soft bushes of
the perfect face, and for the coquettish
smiles of the handsome crimson mouth.
Suddenly he bent toward her and
seized both her small, jeweled wrists.
"You shall speak; 1 will be an
swered now," he said, passion in his
dreamy eyes and sternness in his pol
ished voice. 81 was warned against
you; 1 was warned that you are a
gilded sham-a woman who deludes
the hearts of men for the sport of a
summer day. But have chosen to be-
lieve you true; / have chosen to be-
lieve that you can love as l would be
loved; and for all my faith in you, Ce-
lestia, 1 demand that you end a sus-
pense can endure no longer"
She struggled from his gentle grasp
and made a little cry of coquetish pro-
test, but at that moment another indi-
vidual-a gentleman of an unpleasant
ly plebeian aspect-strode across the
glade and approached her.
Il have been searching for you
everywhere" he said, irritably, as he
drew her submissive hand within his
arm, and with grudging and boorish
sort of salute toward poor Al. Little
Rolly is dangerously sick again, and l
have come to take you home. l am
obliged to you, sir, for your attention
to my wife," he added, with peculiar
chuckle, and another grudging &C
acknowledgement to the astounded AL
fred Luray.
The young gentleman could scarcely
as yet realize the significance of it all;
but &c tho two moved away he lifted