Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-09-09

and II did no, necessarily follow that shf
had never intended to carry on, her en-.
gagemen, to marry him.
When man has hardly recovered from
an unsuccessful love affair. he j. no, in
elined to take lenien, o. hopeful view
Of suspicious circumstances pointing to a
repetition Of his first experience. Mr.
MA,,Ard found i, impossible to resis, the
conviction iha, he was once the victim Of
woman. proverbial 6eklensss. His ling
sring hopes were crushed by the ominous
Circumstance that the next mail from
England brought, no letter from bis faith
lcs. sweetheart.
lie was seized with a soF, Of frenzied
r,eklsssns- which impelled him to return
home by the earlies, steamer in order TO
se, hi. doubts a, rest. This. a, least, was
the excuse he made 10 himself for his ab.
rup, departure bat the real reason pro5
ably WAS that he ,hfAnk from being
pointed a, and oondoled with as a man
Who has been Tilted His engsgem'n,
was known all over the station, and IL
would be vain 10 A,,emP, to conceal what
had happened.
1, wAs certainly great relief 70 MAJ
,ard to escape from the gossip and title
tAiile ~hich would be sure 20 cnsue when
| /, became known ,ha, Miss Annie Creep
had married some one else Tie realized
,hi. when. after being day or two a.
sea. he recovered bis 'pif.,' IN very re-
markable manner Before the end Of the
voyage !, had dawned upon him most un'
mi,,akAbly ,ha, be Vas already getting
over his disappointment Ia fact. there
were moments when be faneied he could
no, have cared ior Annie Creep as mueA
a. he imagined.
lie certainly sooa overcams bis o'isinAl
desire 10 coniron, her and den anl Al cN-
plana,ioa. whsn be rccollec,od that her
husband nigh, object TO such a proceed.
ins. be Immediately decided u treat her
deser,ioa With coniemp,uous silence.
Bat, having arrived Al this liberalization.
| he feli little foolish. and wondered wha,
be ,hoal say TO hi, friends 10 account !or
hi, unexpected return to EaglAnd.
A, Malta be obtained al the coaffma.
,ion be needed Of the truth of the story
Of Annie Creep, elopeme1,. Ca going
Ashore there fof few hours be me, a
brother ofhoer Of Captain Hob,on. who
knew al about the affair. Mr. MatArd :
disappointment and resentment bad reach
ed such a modified stage that ii was pos
tive relief 20 him % learn, on undeniablr
authority. ,ha, be was free man again.
II. destroyed the young lAdy's photo
graph. consigned her memory 10 oblivion,
Aad had scrloa, thoughts o. remaining a.
Malta and returning 10 Inda By the mex,
Outward bound steamer
However. be had paid for bis passage
70 Enslsnd. 90 be determined 70 proceed
% hi. destination. and by way of giving
a colorado objee, TO bis journey The idea
occurred 20 him Of once more proposing 10
Miss MAinwaiiag. lis recen, unluekey
a,,achmen, had served 10 bring into
strong relief the superior charms Of his
fr, love. and /, was possible the young
lady nigh, Be touched by bis devotion
lie fnAlly made up bis mind 70 Try the
experiment, and certainly The projee,
gave a singular PES, to the remainder Of
bis trip. When he reached EaglAnd he
Immediately .ough, an interview with
Miss MAinwaring. and. 10 his joyful SUI
prise. ~as accepted wiihou, demur.
Mr. MA,iards happiness knew 70
bounds. especially As the young lady rAis'
ed no objection. 20 a speedy wedding, n
order that she nigh, return with him 10
India, As he wished The erumbled rosc
! lsAfw which disturbed him was the recollec-
ton Of bis recen, engagement 10 Annie
Creep, concerning which he bad been dis
eree,ly silent. lnleed. he had permitted
| Mis-. Manwaring to believe ,hi, the joarn.
ey to England had been undertaken for
no other purpose than 10 rePsa, his Previ-
Gus offer
Il was to this impression ,ha, Mt Mat
tard attributed the favorable answer be
had received, and for that reason he had
no, courage TO undeceive her. When they
were married he meant TO confess the
truth. and meanwhile. considering the
disappointment, he had suffered, he might
perhaps be pArdOnei for taking advantage
Of the sub,erfuge.
lie had been in England abou, six
weeks when his agents forwarded to him
a packe, Of letter. which had been sen,
home from India after him. The first
tha, eaugh, bis eye was in Annie CreeP''
handwriting, and !, gave him an unpleAs-
an, shock. lie saw at a glance that the
pos,mark bore date only day or two
after his departure. His nervousness
vanished as he reflected tina, !, was prob
ably the letter announcing her marriage
and he opened !, with grim satisfaction
rather curious to see how she would adj
dress him.
He glanced a, the date and the sigma
,ure with q sudden and unAecoun,Abl
misgiying. The first was subseqent L
her marriage with Captain HobsOn, an'
yet the latter was her maiden name. Mr.
Al 4. -.