Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-01-18

They drank the toast each smiling
at the others delusion. The colonel
was thinking he should soon learn
the secret of the sttrusty messenger"
that had perplexed him so greatly
for he believed that Ellen once his
wife by forced marriage, his mas
terful spirit would quickly tame her
to willing submission.
The dinner went on slowly, mark
ed by the decreasing length of the
candles. The colonel drank heavily.
At length he took his seat by the
fireside, and finding it difficult to
keep awake, yielded to drowsiness,
admonishing his son before falling
asleep to awake him when the car
riage should come round, as he in
tended going out that evening.
When young Godfrey saw his fa-
ther IN heavy slumber new plan
flashed across his mind. He noise
lessly and quickly placed the lights
in remote corner of the room, and
drew the house keys from the pock-
cts of the sleeping man. He listen
ed moment; there was not sound
in the house. Fastening to the hall
he found lying there the great travel
ing coat and hat placed in readiness
for his father, and had put these on
just as the noise of the moving car
rage reached his ears. 1t required
but moment to unlock the great
hall door, and in another moment,
aided by the olscurity, he had re-
locked it, and jumped into the coach
undetected bo the waiting coachman.
The man shut the door without
word, having evidently received in
instructions IN the afternoon. and
dove away. 1t had all happened in
ten minutes. He was free man
and driving to the house of his be-
loved
Godfrey's emotion as the coach
stopped before Mistress Dwight's s
door may be imagined. Ellen was
prepared and came out speedily, ac-
cOmpaned by servant. who, throw
ing a dim iluminator from his lam
tern into the interior, enabled her to
take seat at the remotest angle from
the supposed colonel. The carriage
moved off.
Godfrey said not a word during
some minutes, though every breath
in the dark. close warmth of the in
terror, where she breatheI also. was
like perfume from heaven. The
wheels ratified outside with dull
noise he looked into the ob curity
without to satisfy himself that they
were following the Calvert Hill road.
At the next instant Ellen spoke.
"What means this strange night
journey, Colonel Carter. if that is
you sitting there in the dark so 81
lenlly?' she asked.
'It means wedding, Ellen, if
thou art willing"
Godfrey here too?" she cried.
''None but | alone," he answered
and in moment she was in his arms.
1t makes me young again, think
ing on those two lovers so joyously
| ly reunited, even in the teeth Of des-
tiny (hut perhaps by the furtherance
of q yet deeper destiny nor need |
having shown them so we'll advanced
in their good fortune, follow them
| further alous their journey. Not
until its end did their driver discover
his mistake, and they were then at the
minister's door at Calvert Hill.
| Parson MacFinster was much taken
ahack when he found who awaited
him IN his parlor.
/ II have come to tell thee. Pars on
MacFinster, that my father made a
mistake" SAID Godfrey, without
waste of words; "and see here, [
have brought double purse of gold
to convince thee of it.
"A double purse of gold is a great
/ help TO conviction,' answered the
parson, recovering his countenance
"and since the proverb says all is
| fair in love and war-and this seems
to partake somewhat of both-I am
your obedient servant, at yonr SER
vice"
''Then marry me speedily" said
Godfrey, "to this young lady, Mis-
tress Ellen Edgeworth, and thank
God she is more willing bride than
one or two that report says have
ccme here"
Months afterward Colonel Antho-
ny Carter forgave his son, and the
family was reunited at a Christmas
dinner, where fair Ellen behaved in
such admiral spirit towards the colo
mel that his forgiveness at once ceas-
ed to be perfunctory, and became
genuine. He kissed her heartily,
saying he liked her better as daugh-
ter than a wife, and from that day
they were boon friends.
And the Inexplicable Messenger?
1t is here, hanging over the desk at
which | write. Colonel Carter's
sword cane has decended to me, his
grandnephew, with one thin little
love-note actually in the place in that
narrow cavity where the sword enters
the same note which have copied,
Slipping out into the hall where the
cane stood, perhaps hundred years
ago this very night, fair Ellen or
gallant Godfrey would withdraw one