Smyrna times., 1885-07-15
Avenged.

Avenged.
The old clock in the wall rang out five
melodious chimes, as Cora Smith softly
closed the kitchen door, and ran into the
little bedroom for her blue scarf.
Five o'clock she said, as the last
stroke died away; "he is wondering
why l don't come, and must make
haste. Madge, little Madge, are you
going with ME tonight? 1 am all
ready"
Little Madge, the twelve-year-old sis
ter, came flying through the hall.
"Auntie says you've forgotten to get
the potatoes for breakfast, and we must
prepare them before you go. Never
mind if he does have to wait little for
you; you've waited for him many a time.
Come quickly, and I will help you"
Sosweet tempered Cora Smith united
the blue scarf, and tripped away to the
forgotten task as merrily as her little
sister albeit her heart beat like an i'm
prisoned birds at the delay.
The west was all ahame with the
autumn sunset ere the sisters closed the
cottage door behind them, and ran down
the garden path toward the stile, where
he was waiting-in other words, where
hazel-eyed sweet-faced Cora Smith S
city lover was waiting for his lady-lOve,
as she had many a night waited for him.
Almost every evening they met there
Mt the stile-their "trysting place, he
said just halfway between her home
and his boarding-house. He had pro-
posed it, and she was nothing 10th to
Nccede-it was so pretty and romantic.
Then, Auntie Smith was not at all
pleased with this dark-eyed young
stranger, and though she had not for
bidden him the house. both lovers knew
She preferred "hisroom to his company. y
And so, always with dear little Madge at
her side, she daily tripped down the
path through the leafy woods to the
halfway trysting place where she met
her handsome, dark-eyed lover, Neil
Rowan. How her heart futtered to-
night as she thought of him! and tho
warm lOve-light deepened and darkened
the soft, brown eyes
Neil, Neil, she said, almost uncon
sciously, aloud and little Madge claspeC
her sister, hand closer, and looked III
in her face.
"Do you love him so very much, sis
ter Cora ?"
A swift, hot color came into the girl.
checks, and then she pauses, suddenly
holding the hands of little NIadge in a
fervent grasp.
Love him! love him, Madge! bette,
than all the world - better than m,
youth, my life-ay, sometimes 1 fea
better than my hope of heaven! And
am to be his wife, little Madge, thi
good mans wife, when the beautif1
spring comes. shall leave you, ant
auntie and uncle, to be all his. Blu
this is our secret, little sister, and onl,
you can share it.
Then her hands relaxed their hold, an
drawing the light scarf over her shoul
ders, she tripped silently ON. The
were almost there-nearing the edge c
the wood, and the stile was but a ste
away. Another step forward, and the
Madge held her sister back.
"Wait!" she whispered; "I can Sc
two men ON the seat. Cora. We do nc
want to meet strangers there"
"No," she said, drawing back in til
shadow of the wood; lit is Neil's frienC
Willis Dean. We will wait until Il
goes, for do not like to meet him."
Even as she spoke the figure aros,
and the sound of his voice came on til
twilight air, distinct and clear.
"And what of this love affair." frien
Neil? When is it to end, and how
! Are you really in earnest, and do yc
mean to marry the girl ?"
Cora Smiths hand closed upon IL
r arm of Madge till she shrank in pa
n while they waited for the answer. NJ
n Rowan laughed softly.
7 Marry her!" he repeated "She
% just the subject for q grand flirtatio
r and 1 assure you have done the thi,
we'll But for anything further-bahl
n y am going back to town tomorrow, al
IS this is our last meeting; SO be off, o
| foIIoxry eoss I n~rv,nok ha,s
Just for one moment Madge Smitl
heart stood still in awful fear for s.
thought Cora was dying. That whit
ghastly face there in the twilight, til
motionless figure, those tightly lock-
hands, it surely was not the fair, swC
maiden Of q moment before. But {
= spasm passed, and, without word, s
Is arose and glided Doiselessly away, Al
* Madge followed her in silence.
M M Neil Rowan waited until the light Il
j; all died out of the west, and the dew !
Of like summer rain on the grass at his fe
90 His cigar was smoked down to ash
n. and his lazy revery was broken by d
ed cry of the whip-poor-will.
e. "She isn't coming tonight" he sa
fTt' mentally; "that is certain. The schel
ing auntie up yonder managed to pI
vent it this time. Oh, well, it saved
scene ] will drop loving, farew,
note, and so it onds-a summers anus
no ment Ha, huml" and Neil Row
u. strolled homeward, singing, half unco
e. Sciously' Il won't have her, know
~ won't have hor, lmow-I don't car,
~ straw who has her, 1 know"
Ihe fareWell note emma 20 Cnrn O.