The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-18

honorable engagement. as you call it, come to
that"
: But you never said so, and an indefinite
courtship soon Injuries a womans position aud
credit-sooner than you think"
"Baptista l solemnly declare that in six
months should have asked you to marry me.
She walked along in silence, looking on the
ground, and appearing very uncomfortable
Presently he said: Would you have waited for
me- if you had known?" To this she whispered
in sorrowful whisper, "Yes!"
They went still further in silence-passing
along one of the beautiful walks on the outskirts
of the town, yet not observant of scene or situa-
ton. Her shoulders and his were close together,
and he clasped his fingers round the small of her
arm-quite lightly, and without any attempt at
lmpetus yet the act seemed to say: Now
hold you and my will must be yours"
Recurring to previous question of hers, he
said: Il have merely run down here for day
or two from school near Truro, before going off
to the north for the rest of my holiday I have
seen my relations at Redruth quite lately, so
am not going there this time. How little
thought of meeting you! How very different
the circumstances would have been if instead of
parting again as we must in half hour so,
possibly forever, you had been now just going
off with me, as my wife. on our honeymoon
trip Ha-ha-wel-so humorous is life!n
She stopped suddenly. II must go back now
this is altogether too painful. Charley. 1t is
not at ali a kind mood you are in to-day"
II don't want to pain you-you know do
not" he said more gently. Only it just exas-
perates me-this you are going to do l wish
you would not"
WHAT"
Marry him. There, now have showed you
my true sentiments"
Il must do it now" she said.
"Why?" he asked, dropping the off hand mas
terful tone he had hitherto spoken in, and be-
coming earnest: still holding her arm however,
as if she were his chattel, to be taken up or put
down at will ut is never too late to break off
arrlQ hat n t,l Mnvr
say one thing and it is truth; 1 wish you
would marry me instead OF him, even now, at
the last moment though you have served me so
badly"
"Oh, it is not possible to think of that' she
answered hastily, shaking her head when
get nome all will be prepared-it is ready even
now-the things for the party, the furniture,
Mr.. Heddegans new suit and everything.
should require the courage of tropical lion to
go home there and say / wouldn't carry out my
promise!"
"Then 60, in heavens name! But there would
be no necessity for you to go home and face them
In that way. If we were to marry it would have
to be at once, instantly, or not at all. | should
think your affection not worth the having unless
you agreed to come back with me to Truro this
evening. where could be married by license
on Monday morning. And then no Mr. David
Haddegan or anybody else could get you away
from me-"
II must go home by the Tuesday boat" she
faltered. What would they think if l did not
Gomez"
You could go home by that boat just the
same. All the difference would be that / should
go with you. You could leave on the quay,
where I'd have smoke. while you went and saw
your father and mother privately; yo1 could
then tell them what you had done. and that
was waiting not far off: that was school
master in fairly good position, and young
man you had known when you at the
training college, Then I would come boldly
forward; and they would see that it could not be
altered, and SO you wouldn't suffer lifelong
misery by being the wife of wretched old
gaffer you don't like at all. Now. honestly; you
do like me best, don't you, Baptista9"
''Yes"
''Then we will do as say"
She did not pronounce clear affirmative. But
that she consented to the novel proposition at
some moment or other of that walk was apparent
by what occurred a little later.
An enterprise of such pith required, indeed
less talking than consideration. The frat tAsng
they did IL carrying it out to return to the
railway station, where Baptista took from her
luggage small trunk of immediate necessarles
which she would in any have required after
missing the boat That same afternoon they
travelled up the line to Truro.
Charles Stow las his name was), despite his
disdainful Indifference to things was very care
full of appearances. and made the journey indie
pendently of her, though in the same train. He
told her where she could get board and lodgings
in the city; and with merely distant nod to her
of provisional kind, went off to his own quar-
ters. and to see about the license.
On Sunday she saw him in the morning across
the nave of the pro-cathedral. In the afternoon
they walked together in the fields where he told
her that the license would be ready next day.
and would be available the day after when the
ceremony could be performed as early after 5
o'clock as they should choose.
His courtship thus renewed after an interval
of two years. impetuous, violent even, as
it was short The next day came and passed,
and the final arrangements made. Their
agreement was to get the ceremoney
soon as they possible could the next morning, so
as to go on to Penzance at once, and reach that
place in time for the boats departure the same
day. 1t was in obedience to Baptista's earnest
request that Stow consented thus to make the
whole journey to Scilly by land and water at
one heat, and not break it at Penzance; she
seemed to be oppressed with dread of linger
ing anywhere. this great first act Of disobedi-
ence to her parents once accomplished, with the
weight on her mind that her home had to be
convulsed by the disclosure of it. To face her
difficulties over the water Immediately she bad
created them was, however, a course more de-
sired by Baptista than by her lover; though for
once he gave way.
The next morning was bright and warm as
those which had preceded It. By o'clock it
seemed nearly noon, as is often the case in that
part of England in the summer season. By 8
they were husband and wife. They packed up
and departed by the earliest train after the serv
ice, and on the way discussed at length what she
should say on meeting her parents, Charley die
tatng the turn of each phrase. In her anxiety
they had travelled So early that when they
reached Penzance they found there were nearly
two hours On their hands before the steamers
time of sailing
Baptista extremely reluctant to be seen
promenading the streets of the watering place
with her husband till. as above stated, the
household at Hugh Town should know the un-
expected course of events from her own
lips and it just possible, if
not likely that some Scillonian might
be prowling about there, or even have come
across the sea to look for her To meet anyone
to whom she known. and to have to reply to
awkward questions about the strange young
man at her side before her well-f framed announce
ment had been delivered at proper time and
place, thing she could not contemplate
with equanimity. So. instead of looking at the