The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-18

| lively allowed circumstances to pilot her along;
| and so the voyage was made.
| 1t was near dusk when they touched the pier
| of Hugh Town, where several friends and neigh
| bors stood awaiting them. Her father had a
| lantern in his hand. Her mother. too, there,
| reproachfully glad that the delay had at last
| ended so simply. Mrs. Trewthen and her daugh-
| ter went together along the Hugh, or promen-
ade, to the house, rather in advance of her hus-
| band and Mr.. Heddegan, who talked in loud
| tones which reached the women over their
| shoulders
Some would have called Mrs Trewthen good
| mother; but, though well meaning. she was
| maladrot, and erintentions missed their mark.
| This might have been partially attributable to
| the slight deafness from which she suffered
| Now, as usual, the chief utterances came from
| her lips.
"Ah yes, I'm so glad my child, that you've
got over SAFE 1t is all ready. and everything so
| we'll arranged that nothing but misfortune could
hinder you settling as, with Gods grace, be-
comes We. Close to your mothers door Almost,
| twill be great blessing, I'm sure; and was
very glad to find from your letters that you'd
held your word sacred. That's right-make your
word your bond always. Mrs WAGE seems to
be a sensible woman. hope the Lord will do
| for her as he's doing for you no long time hence
And how did ye get over the terrible journey
frem Exeter to Penzance2 Once you'd done with
the railway, of course, you seemed quite at
home. Well. Baptista, conduct yourself seemly
and all will bo WELL"
mus dumOnlSneu. BaptfSta enGered tn6 mousse
nar father and Mr.. Heddegan Immediately at her
back. Her mother had been didactic that she
had felt herself absolutely unable to broach the
| subject in the center of her mind.
| The familiar room, with the dark ceiling, the
| Widespread table the old chairs had never be-
| fore spoken so eloquentlv Of the times ere she
knew or had heard of Charley Stow. She went
upstairs to take off her things, her mother remain
ing below to complete the disposition of the sup
per- and attend to the preparation of to morrow s
nnQJ oil hnn cIYrp Cy1nh nj
pies, from pies of fish to pies of turnips. was
never heard of outside the Cornish duchy. Bap-
| tista once alone, sat down and did nothing; and
| was called before she had taken off her bonnet.
I'm coming she cried, jumping up, and
speedily disappearing herself. brushed her hair
| with few touches and went down.
| Two or three of Mr. Heddegans and her faith
er's friends had dropped in. and expressed their
| sympathy for the delay she had been subjected
| TO. The meal was most merry one except to
| Baptista. She had desired privacy, and there
| was none; and to break the news was already a
greater difficulty than it had been at first Every
| thing around her, animate and inanmate, great
| and small. insisted that she had come home to
| be married; and she could not get chance to
say nay
One or two people sang songs as overtures to
| the melody Of the morrow, till at length bed
| time came, and they all withdrew her mother
! having retired a little earlier. When Baptista
found herself again alone in her bedroom the
case stood as before: she had come home with
much to say, and she had said nothing.
1t was now growing clear even to herself that
Charles being dead she had not determination
sufficient within her to break tidings which, had
he been alive would have imperatively an
nounced themselves. And thus with the stroke
of midnight came the turning of the scale; her
story should remain untold. 1t was not that
upon the whole she thought it best not to at
tempt to tell it; but that she could not undertake
so explosive matter. To stop the wedding now
would cause a convulsion in Hugh Town little
short of volcanic. Weakened, tired and terrified
as she had been by the days adventures, she
could not make herself the author of such ca
tastrophe. But how refuse Heddegan without
| telling! 1t really seemed to her as if her mar
riage with Mr.. Heddeean were about to take
place as i nothing had interviewed.
Morning came. The events of the previous
days were cut off from her present existence by
scene and sentiment more completely than ever,
Charles Stow had grown to be a spectral being of
whom, owing to his character, she entertained
rather fearful than loving memory. Baptista
could hear when she awoke that her parents
were already moving about down stairs But
| She did not rise till her mothers rather rough
voice resounded UP the staircase as it had done
| on the preceding evening
Baptlsta! Come time to be stirring! The
man will be here, by heavens blessing in three
| quarters of an hour He has looked in already
| for minute or two, and says he's going to the
| church to see if things be well forward"
Baptsta arose looked out of the window and
| took the easy course. When she emerged from
the regions above she was arrayed in her new
silk frock and best stockings, wearing a linen
jacket over the former for breakfastng, and her
common slippers over the latter, not to spoil the
new ones on the rough precincts of the dwelling.
1t IS unnecessary to dwell at any great length
on this part of the mornings proceedings She
revealed nothing. and married Heddegan, as she
had given her word to do on that appointed
August day.
TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT SUNDAY.