Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-30

Maggie, her protty, wayward, cc;s: T .s-! loster-sistor, the belle Of the village. si.it quarrehed with her leAl true lovo, and. |: .'.- spsir, evidently contemplated taking ha 50 young, and, until now, So bright an.i .,,., The girl rose from her chair. What ": $ it be donor If not too lnts. Maggie must !, saved. Whnt could Gwcn do7 Sho sis,s reas to do anything; but whati As she stood terrified, bewndered, frs' trouble arrived. Tho voice of Dame T.y.i sounded from tho fnncr room, apolog:s.:a. for being so long, but sho would soon be t:,-re Was Maggie potter? dwen dropped back into the seat, over ~holmed. How could she read such letter
 to tho poor mother? Impossiblei It would
 kill her. If 1t had to be done, 0won coulc never do 1t.
 Her first impulse wns to ny; but her limbe fniled hor. Her brain whirled, for she felt she was losing valuable time-that Maggie's life 1 might depend upon seconds. Ohi what could sho dor How could she l spare tho poor old mother. and save the l child? There was but ono way. She had read some whcro of it. Sho would not, she could not, read tho real, terrible lctter. Shc would make up ono If only she had sensc to do It, her mind being SC upset. Quickly sho drew another letter from her l pocket, conccolfr7 1t beneath her handker.
 chiof as Dumc wyett, smiling and conplacent 1 entered tho room.
 "Now, Miss Gwen, I'm quite ready" she re. l marked, sitting in her cushioned, Mgh-back l Windsor chnir and folding her wrinkled l hancs. 'What does my dear lass say3" 1 Poor Gwon! Hnd ever a young girl hard. l CT tnskl Sho opened tho letter, and with dim. cul.y prevented it's rustung in her trembling hands. How could she, cvcr command her l voiroy
 moments rcpriove was granted her. Dear, Miss Gwoni" calculated Dame l Wyett, in concern, "what is tho matter7 You 1 nre as white as the curtains behind you. You l nin't well mies."
 Not very, nurse. I walked hero rather l quickly, and the heat has made ma little
 faint. That is all. A glass of water will put l mo right"
 Tho water was procured. Gwen drank eag.
 crlY. and Dnmc Wyctt was full of sympathy l "Nevcr mind the lettcr, Miss Gwen, she
 said Don't trouble, I can wait. Tho curate, hos n kind young gentleman, I'll ask him to l rcnd It."
 No. no, no, cjaculated 6wfn, scared. ''1 will read 1t. Tam better; am quito we'll l Tako your neat nuFso and listen." l How Gwen got through the fictitious letter or what she said, slae never clearly could
 recolloct. At times Dame Wyett smiled, and l smoothed her apron, nodding her head ap' ! prpyingly; at others, she looked perplexed l but, on the whole, was satisfied, and had nc
 suspicion.
 "She don't write quito as she speaks, sha
 said. "Tho lass is a bit jerky here and there 1 ain't she miss? And ono or two sentences 1 can't mako out. But Idessay 1t aint so easy l to writo as to talk" "Oh dear, no-very-very different nurse,
 said Gwon. putting the letter she had con
 sealed in tho envelope instead of the tdgh'
 ono, shcn handing 1t to the old women. 1 Anxiously sho watched her lingering ths l envelope Would she opon 1t and recognize
 tho different writing of the enclosure, 1 If so, Gwen must say she had made a mis. | take.
 No, Dame Wyott, much to her companion's
 relief, rising, put tho letter away in che of tht
 sweet lavender-smelllng drawers, wath brass ] handles, which stood in the room, and looked l quito happy and content with the kuowledg<
 that her darling was better.
 Better! and nt thnt very instant Maggi, ! might be lying under tho waters of some pool -4aeadi
 Yes; Gwen suddenly recolected that thera
 was no water at Winstrop, but that the rivel passed through Harpleton. Fearful of self -betray ynl did she renaain, als< l mortified by the hmo sho was losing, agaiI l complaining of faintness, she bado her olt ! nurso farewell md hastened from the VII
 lage.
 There was neither faintness nor weakness
 In the fashion she breasted the hdl upoI
 which Abbotshurst stood-she almost ran
 she hold Maggie's letter in her hand, whil'
 almost unconsciously sho kopt murmurinl
 beneath her breath:
 ''It is morn. Supposing Maggie-poor, fool
 ish Maggie--drowhed herself last night2
 shall be too late Oh who will tell her poor
 poor mother?"
 Soon eho was flying on tho level ground t,
 the stables, then into the house, searching
 every room for Captain Paul.
 | She found him intensely miserable in tn,
 library. At that terrible moment Gwen quit
 forgot the morning occurrence. Approach
 ing eagcrly, her beautiful eyes dilatod. he
 cheek flushed, she said;
 "Paul, will you drive mo to Harplotpn7 1'v
 orderod tho dogcnrt round. That goes tn
 fastest. Don't say you can't, Paul, for 70, l must-n ii:odepends on 1t. Something terribl
 has happcncd!'
 Il Hs was already on his feet. Drive herr Fl
 would have driven her anywhere. Hs had n intention to say he couldn't. He was only to
 pleased that sho was there asking him [ !, servo her.
 before s:l,, ended. When she finished his fac
 had somnt!iing the reflection of hors. and h l exclaimed:
 Something terrible! In Heavens name
 Gwcn, what do you mcan?"
 Rapidly she told him, showing him tho lot tor. Gnptain Paul's face clouded. Gwen" ho said, gravely, eff Maggie ha
 broken Ned Norths heart sho has broke
 that of the truest, honcstest of fellows" "Yes-ycs, I know; but, cousin Paul. yo
 sco she does love him. She Is young and sill -she repcnts. It Is of her we must thin now. Only Imagine" the tears sprang to he , eyes "shs may ho now dead, and all our hast of no araily Still we must try, and iHeave
 grant we be in time; then you and l, Pau
 will bring matters right at last" ? ''You and l. Paul." How the linking of the two pronouns, th , sweet tones of her voice, made his pulse thrill He was about to answer suitably , the happiness she gave him, whom Gwe sprnng to the glass doors and threw thor ! wide.
 "Come--come," sho cried, ''here is tho cart Do not let us lose moment, and, i" she added in whisper, as, following. he helped her her scat, "do not lot us take the groom" !; Her word was his law, and soon side b ! side alone they wore speeding at almost breal : neck pace down tho pretty country roads 1 the direction of Harpleton. Who, as the 1,o> fo1 <hof pnRk kS>s