Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1886-03-15
think she had been crying.

think she had been crying.
kiss her good night, and she goes
away to her room. As / dress mex
morning my eyes light upon satin
covered ball programme lying -on the
floor where Ethel must have dropped
it. Picking it up l opened it careless
ly, but my carelessness changes sud
denly to a fixed, startled regard.
Pencled in the space beneath the
list of dancers are these words:
"My darling, let it be tomorrow
evening" will await you, as the clock
strikes eleven, by the great oak at the
end OF the drive. Circumstances over
which | have no control call me abroad
Something tells me that if | go leaving
you free we will surely be parted
Your aunt is prejudiced against me-
and you tell me that she can prevent
you from marrying until you are ol
age. Oh! my love, you who know how
faithful your devoted Raoul is, i'm
plore you take your fate in your own
hands and consent to my wishes for O
secret marriage. IL need only be KEPT
secret until my return, then we car
confess and be forgiven.
AS | read, EthePs agitation returns
to me, and | know that unless | save
her my cousin will 90 to her ruin this
very night. For that ruin it would be
to intrust her lifc's happiness into the
keeping of the unprincipled adventurel
whose hand penncd these lines / an
convinced. But how is it to be donei
must have help-auntie is out of the
question there is only Hart will he
| nf In 70, %<
sistanceP
l seek him at his law office. He
meets me coldly; but his manner
changes as, in earnest, anxious tones
pour out my troubles. and. ignoring
his indifferent greeting, implore him
upon the strength of our old friend
ship, to help me, if it is in his power
to save my cousin from taking tn,
irrecoverable step she contemplates.
"Help youp OF course 1 will ant
can, tool" he exclaims. How luck,
you came to me-and what coinci
dence it is!''
"Concidence-in what wayP"
ask.
"Never mind now," he answers
"But cheer up, Joan; all will COM
we'll, promise you. 1t was fort
innate star that led you to me-
That night, instead of retiring, l 81
at my window, from which l CO
plainly see the drive, although 1t il
some little distance away.
The hall clock strikes eleven, an
Just at that mC'..v.lo u slight, dar
figure is distinctly visible in the moon
lignt, walking with rapid steps dow
the drive.
l hold my breath, and my hand
clasp themselves convulsively togetf
er. 1t is Ethel, my poor little delude
cousin! oh, Hart, do not fail me! ii
does not. 1t is he whom Ethel find
awaiting her coming beneath the grea
oak, and who breaks to her wit
brotherly tenderness the story he ha
to tell, and then with soothing, an
yet authoritative, kindness leads he
back to the house.
All this learn afterward, not rigl
away; for it is some time before, wit
face, now flushed with cOntrii
shame, and now wan rs a first Sprin
snow drop, Ethel confesses the secr'
she little thinks / have known q
along for Hart never told her how /
gained his information).
Though grieved and horrorstrickel
aunt @ magnanimously refrans frol
saying, Il told you so!' rs the extel
of Raoul De Vere's villainy is unveile'
Il shall write and ask Hart to CON
up this evening"" auntie says. "BI
for him | shudder to think OF the di
tress in which we would all be plum,
ed"
For the benefit OF the reader,
will here enter into little explain
) tiOn:
Thn unru dau hnfnrn HAT In which