Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-27
Gently and tenderly he led her to the


Heywood-the old lover"
With an imprecation still on his lips
he turned his back on the scene of his
happiest hours.
Ten o'clock was striking when John
Harvey returned to 1.-The Griffin" and
half an hour later he had left Sutton
forever
Two days after his departure Bel
Urmson held in her hands letter from
him bidding her farewell and telling
her that, though he could not but CRATE
fully appreciate her endeavor to love
him, yet knowing as he did know that
she had never forgotten her first love he
had decided to adopt the only course
left open to him and go away.
With q pale face and trembling fin
gers Bel read the letter, then she folded
it up and laid it away in her desk.
At ten minutes to 8 o'clock on the
morning of the 30th of June, five years
after Mrs. Testers death, the bell over
the porch of the village school at Chip.
dendale rang out its summons. Ding
dong, ding-dong. pealed along High
street from end to end, over the play
ground rolled the lusty tones and the
children stopped their play as they re-
cognized the familiar ''iron tongue"
and with one accord fastened to the
door.
Boys and girls rushed together, push
ing, laughing, shouting, striking out at
each other as one or the other gained a
momentary advantage in the race to be
first at school.
Good morning, children"
The voice was full and pleasant, and
the smile broadened into grin on the
little faces as the speaker left her desk
and came toward them. She had a
word and a smile for each, for it was
the opening day of school after the mid
summer holidays, and rules were re-
Taxed and little license permitted by
even SO strict q disciplinarian rs Bel
Urmson.
Yes, she was Miss Urmson still-not
quite the same Bel of five years before,
for sorrow and care had washed the
roses from her cheeks; but no one gaz-
ing on the pale, beautiful face ever
doubted the fact that her spinsterhood
was maintained from her own choice.
She was standing up. the children
gathered around her preparatory to
their dismissal at noon, when the door
opened and the Vicar of Chippendale
entered, followed by gentleman.
"Good morning, Miss Urmson." he
said, shaking hands with her and nod
ding to the children. II am glad you
have not dismissed your scholars, as
wished my friend to see them. can
not myself stay to give him any infor-
nation about them; but if you will
kindly tell him about them | shall feel
very much obliged. Mr.. Harvey, Miss
Urmson."
Startling and unexpected as the meet
ing was, Bel did not lose her self-pos-
session. The coolest, stiffest inclination
of her head acknowledged the introduce
ton, then she turned aside and remain
ed silent, with ringing in her ears
that almost deafened her, and mist
before her eyes which blinded her to
everything save the face of John Har-
vey. But presently she saw by the
children's movements that the vicar
was leaving; she heard his retreating
footsteps, and, after pause, she raised
her head and said:
Children, you may 60"
Quietly and decorously they trooped
out of the room, but not until their foot
steps had died away did she turn to
John Harvey.
"Why did you come herep" she asked.
81 certainly did not come with any
idea that l should see you," he replied
81 need hardly assure you that had l
known Of your presence here / should
have avoided coming to Chippendale
altogether.
'Then you would still shun me?'
Il would. 1t is the wisest, the only
course | can pursue"
She was silent, debating within her.
self whether to bid him go and pursue
the same course again or to detain him
and ask for an explanation Of the letter
still locked away in her desk. 1t was
more dignified, more consonant with
her self-esteem to send him away, but
her weak. loving, womanly nature re-
belled against the putting aside of
probable happiness.
''You sent letter some years ago."
she began, hesitating and flushing like
a guilty child. 81 never understood it;
will you explain it to me nowP'
llc lUUhtu ttb uCI anu w mai
coquets all women are! And Bel, beau
tiful Bel, was as tickle as the rest. She
had wavered between the old and the
new love years ago, when he had gone
away and left ner to be true and now
| he found her still unmarried, working,
struggling for her daily bread, and de-
string to win him back-a desire as
despicable as it was futile.
''Bygones are best left TO slumber, :"
he SAID. 81 will wish you good morn
ing"
Don't CO." she said gently. Tell
me what you meant?"
'When Lieut.. Haywood came back to
claim his own what could do but alb
dicatep"
Lieut. Heywood?" she repeated
knitting her brows in perplexity. 81
have not seen him."
Perhaps not lately" he said and
laughed. Then, becoming suddenly
grave, he continued; 81 wish you would
try to understand me without forcing
me to be more explicit"
Speak plainly. l have nothing to
fear in any revelation you can make. ="
Proudly, fearlessly her eyes met his,
and for the first time there dawned on
him the possibility that he had been
mistaken in the identity of Lieut.. Hey
wood; but no, that was not possible!
| Nevertheless his manner softened as he
said:
"Then listen. The Thursday that l
| proposed 10 return to Sutton did re-
turn. At The Griffin | heard of Mrs.
Testers death, filled with tenderness
and love for you; but some one preced-
ed me thither-a young, good-looking
man, with the unmistakable military
stamp upon him, He went to you and
/ paused at the gate and saw you meet
him. l did not blame you, child; to be
true to him you had to be false to me;
but" with Pickering smile, perhaps
you know was very jealous, even from
the first, of Lieut.. Haywood"
1t was long since Bel Urmson's face
had worn SO happy and blissful smile.
ut was not Lieut.. Haywood who
came to me that evening. but my broth
er-in-law, Capt. Lester"
Capt Lester! He was drowned be-
fore met you"
80 we thought, but we were mis-
taken. He was picked up by an African
coasting vessel and carried to Loango.
and thence to several places on the Con-
60. He was kept prisoner for several
years. and" with little shudder, II
cannot tell you all the cruelties they
made him suffer. Finally he effected
his escape and landed in England q