The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-10-25
CHAPTER XIX.
iRoPrso IN THE DARK

She mas gone ana enBaBeu nerSe1
that man." said Althea, with some bitter
ness; and those words kept repeating them
selves in the mind of Norris Bergmal
through the livelong night.
His heart had gone down with q suddei
chill He was depressed and unhappy, blu
yet not entirely without hope.
"Her brother is at the bottom of it.
Althea had declared, and he believed it.
Ofherself, he felt sure, Carol would neve
turn to Ingot, and for the rest, marriage
need not necessarily follow upon such al
arrangement as might have been brough
about by the cooperation of the two men
No girl of spirit would be so driven, ant
that Carol had spirit he knew, for had sh,
not defied her brother when Lyman
snubbed him, and closed the door in hi
facet
4 1t was cross TO think that she had eve
tolerated Ingot, but there was comfort il
knowing that she, too, was unhappy He
pale, dropping face had assured him Of that
Altogether, Norris might have suffered
more than he did that night. He was like
one who refuses to believe the ill-tidings
that come to him, and Althea did her best
to keep up his spirits when he saw hei
again.
~ drove around there this morning,r she
said, "determined to get at the bottom Of
the whole affair, but, unfortunately, Caro-
was out Don't look so blue, Norris j shall
go again tomorrow, and the day after, and
every day, until / succeed in finding out
what that ogre of q brother means BY
badgering her into taking such step. De
pend on me to smooth tho way for you tC
bring about an understanding of your own. u
But for once Althea overrated her pow
ers, She did not see Carol when she called
| for the second time at the house, and on the
! third day Carol came to see her.
The girl was still pale, and quieter than
her won't, but she spoke of her engagement
quite as a matter Of course.
i ~ do not expect it to be of long stand.
ing" said she. "Mr. Ingot has already
preached the subject Of speedy marriage
and, while nothing is settled, / may say that
| / feel bound to yield to his wishes so far as
cam
Are you really going to let this thing &c
on, Caroll 1t will be the mistake Of your
life if you 90. You are not deceiving me
| one iota. 1 know your brother has made
this match because he hates Norris; it is he
not Ingot, who is hurrying you to the end
and it is more than unreasonable of him-it
is wicked What right has he to make your
life miserablel II it is done with tho view
Of sparing him any thing, be assured that
| it will fail. The penalties which man in
volies by his own acts will find him out;
therefore, my little martyr, do not think Of
sacrificing yourself to Lyman, no matter
what he may urge. Be true TO yourself
and to one other"
Miss Everleigh's earnestness had carried
her too far. There was an indignant flash
in the soft eyes that were raised to meet
hers steadily.
"You are deceiving yourself, Althea.
| Lyman has done nothing cause
you to speak like that What am doing is
of my own free will, not to please him
alone"
''You do not pretend to say that you real
ly care for Ingotl" cried Althea, incred-
ulouslv.
mot perhaps as should, but shall love
the husband marry, rest assured Of that"
! declared Carol, with bright pink tinge
waving into her cheeks as her eyes sought
the floor.
Althea could not know the double mean
ing which those words conveyed. She grew
cold after that. Carol had disappointed
her, so let her go the way she had chosen
there should be no more remonstrances
from her.
! The bitterness still ranked when Norris
came that evening for the crumb of comfort
! which he hoped to get His sorrowful face
gave Althea pang of remorse as she told
him what had passed.
II am afraid have been to blame, Norris,
for can not see that she ever loved you,
after all, and fed the flame in your heart,
know Can you forgive me for itl'
"There is nothing to forgive, Althea. You
were in no way to blame. shall live and
be none the worse for this, daresay, after
O little time'
She looked at him curiously.
"You arc not angry with her''l
"Angryl Althea, you know the secret of
my heart. ! loved her-I love her still.
Did she not give herself freely and will
ingly to another man, would love her to
my dying day, but
He broke or the words that came in a tor
rent, choking and rending him, swallowed
down the painful lump which rose in his
throat, and gave her q quivering smile.
81 will be the conqueror when that hap
pens, never fear. Until then, be her
friend for my sake, will you notl The
worst lies in knowing how utterly unwor-
thy of her he is. have had some hopes of
being able to prove him SO, and thus saw
ing her, but what you tell me Of a speedy
marriage may make it impossible"
al will be glad when you go into the bank,
Norris" said Althea, with a sudden change
of the subject, regarding him thoughtfully.
Ever since that note Of warning, l have
feared more misfortune there. OF course,
you can do nothing until you are regularly
admitted, but shall depend upon your
watchfulness Them
al will make your fathers interest my
own until feel assured that every thing is
right
Miss Everleigh drew long sigh when
she was again alone.
"Why does Fate draw such crooked lines
for some of usr' she wondered, inly "Our
paths would lie so clear and straight If
things only fell out that way. Why did not
Norris fall in love with me, for instance,
instead of with one who has not the soul to
appreciate his WORTH Why must despise
my own weakness, hide 1t as l may, yet
cherish it stilli The wiseacres say that
things always come right in the end, but 1
doubt If that end repays us for the mistakes
we make by the way" N
Norris, meantime, was feeling the full
force Of Fate's adverse blow Hope was
dead at last She did not love him, she
never had loved him; that point was
settled, at last. She would love the hus-
band she married and that husband would
be lngot, unless something speedily hap
pened to prove Ingot the villain no once had
thought him.
Norris was not so positive on that point
OF late With his dislike Of the man, he re-
allied that he might have done him in