The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-03-31

warmth and maturity to what had beel
childish and uniformed.
chance remark Of her sisters that eve
ming, uttered in the half scornful, hal
skeptical tone which she was very fond o
affecting at times, had called forth iron
Elaine an involuntary burst Of the feeling
/ so long pent up within her; then had come
a sudden revulsion of feeling bringing witt
1t the sickening, humiliating fear that she
had in that unguarded moment betrayed
the underlying sentiment that prompted IT,
! She had seen Clinton glance over in her
I direction with that half amused half in.
qutring look; she had known instiuctively
that his gaze was not Withdrawn; and un-
able longer to support the mingled feelings
OF alarm, embarrassment, and modification
that seemed to ingulf her, she had rushed
wildly to her room, there TO wrestle with
her secret that had at last openly faced and
as it were deiied her.
Alone in her room that night, she regis
tered vow, the hardest that any woman
could make, but which, with her once ut
tered, had all the binding solemnity of a
sacred oath: to exile herself from the socie-
ty of the man she had grown to love with
such an overmastering passion, until that
passion was so thoroughly controlled and
subJugated that she could meet him, could
subject herself to the most searching scrut-
iny, without the darger of betraying by
word or sign the ordeal through which she
had passed.
1t was hard battle for the ardent, i'm.
pulsive girl, that battle with the first strong
love of her heart-a love that pleaded for
life, until il seemed as il between the two
conflicting forces she must sink down for
ever; but she KEEP, her vow 60 we'll that
Clinton found the house grow strangely
dull and devoid of interest.
In response to his inquiry about her sis
ter Mildred replied that she believed Elaine
had taken up some new study that was
monopoizing her time and attention.
Elaine heard the remark as she sat by
the window of her room, and smiled bitter
ly as she repeated the words:
"A new study! She is nearer the truth
than she thinks! A study that must be
conned with tears and in anguish, but th At
shall he learned at lastp'
And finally there came day when Elaine
pale but resolute, told herself that the vic
tory was won; that she could once more
mingle with her sisters guests. But the
look of glad welcome that shone in Clinton
Hay ward handsome eyes was nearly fatal
to her resolution, and the fluttering color
rose and fell in her cheek, while it seemed
as If the beating of her heart would suffo-
cate her.
"Well, little hermit, have you managed
to tear yourself away at last from the alb
sorbing pursuit of that engrossing study, or
has your indefatigable assiduity conquered
it already0 You bGve no idea what you
came near losing through your conNmacy
in avoiding our society?" ~
Every nerve of her being seemed to Vi
brate to his words, which, although light
in import, were uttered with an unconsci-
Gus earnestness that seemed almost tender;
but she raised her dark eyes to his with
masterful self command.
"lndeed! What happy escape And as
am not to be entirely debarred from the
privilege, pray let me inquire what it is"
Why, about twenty of us propose to
make an excursion tomorrow to tho gypsy
encampment in Seymour's woods, and our
list of invitations was nearly complete; but
since you have consented to rejoin us at the
eleventh hour, we will exercise q cores
ponding degree of clemency and include
you. Win you goP"
What orturing delusion was it that
whispered to her heart that there was an
unwonted esgerness in his eyes and in his
voice?
Again she forced herself to meet his gaze,
to answer in quiet, even tone:
"Thank you, shall be very glad to gorr
then she glided away and joined her sister.
When the party set out the next day in
two large wagons, Richard Deane driving
Mildred in Clinton's buggy, Elaine was the
most quiet of all ;but to Clinton the demure
little face seem ID invested with a new
charm, and his gaze wandered continually
in her direction.
All day long she manifested the same
thoughtful, earnest mood, and If her dark
eyes grew sometimes heavy with tears, it
was rather because of the strange happi-
ness that seemed to perv&de her being, than
of any conscious PAIN.
Toward the close of the afternoon Elaine
had wandered off by herself, when a quick
step sounded near her, and she glanced up
70 meet Clinton Haywards gaze.
''N e are about returning, Miss Elaine,
aud i am deputed to escort you in my bug
gy, as your sister and Richard wish to ride
in one Of tie open wagons" he said laugh.
ingly. "lIaye you any objection TO offer?"
"Thele seems to be no alternative but 10
submit" she answered in a tone calm from
the very intensity of her emotion, and with
out another word she followed him to
where the horse and wagon we're standing.
He helped her in, sprung in beside her,
and they drove off
THE rest of the party have the start of
US" Clinton said, when they had gone a
short distance, 'but if we take this cut it
will bring us out on the main road some
distance in advance"
Very well, Elaine answered, as he
seemed to wait for her consent; and they
whirled rapidly along in the new direction.
A few rods ahead there was a turn in
the reac, and as they made it, loud. con-
fused noise greeted them, and an excited
crowd swept by, in pursuit of mad dog.
AS the savage brute passed the vehicle,
he made sudden vicious snap at the
horses heels; the frightened animal reared
and plunged, then whirled around with a
sudden sharp turn, and in another instant