Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-31
dered when sine Thought of spending The

dered when she thought of spending the
rest of her days without Toms love.
One evening the two men came by invita-
ton to the cottage to supper. Miss Martha
sent them to the garden to smoke, while
she, with Eva's assistance, was busy laying
the table with the best damask and china,
Presently she went into the parlor to get
from the old cabinet which stood between
the windows some silver spoons which had
belonged to her grandmother. The shutters
were closed, but the windows we've open,
and the low murmur of voices came to her
ears. She knew the brothers were just out
side on the rustic bench, and was about to
close the cabinet and speak to them, when
she heard Toms voice uttering words
which seemed to fall on her heart like drops
of molten lead"
sit is a great mistake for a man to engage
himself to woman older than himself He
is sure to repent soon or late. was fool,
and now that love Eva with all my heart,
as l have confessed to you. wish the other
was in Guinea And what am to do. My
| honor binds me to her-confound it all
Miss Martha did not wait to hear Arnold's
answer. She walked slowly and falter-
ingly from the room, and went up stairs to
! the spare chamber, where she locked her
self in.
| The young men wondered, why supper
was so late, but just as their patience was
| entirely exhausted Eva came to call them,
and then went in to find Miss Martha
already seated at the head of the small table
laid for four. She made no excuse for delay,
| and the supper was so excellent that the
| young men forgot all about their vexation.
The evening passed very quietly, Miss
Martha evidently making an effort 10 be en-
tertaining; and seeing this Tom and Arnold
left very early, the latter, as Miss Martha
noticed, having hardly spoken to Eva since
supper. She thought this was out Of re-
spect for his brothers feelings, which had
so lately been revealed to him.
The next day Tom was surprised in his
office by the appearance Of old Hannah, who
| quietly laid letter on his desk and went
out again.
The young doctors facS grew very white
as he read what Miss Martha had written.
Without explanation or excuse she re-
quested that their engagement might be at
an end, and said that as it would be better
that they should not meet for awhile at
least, she was going to an aunt's in another
town, to stay several months. Eva would
remain at the cottage with old Hannah.
For some time Tom sat gazing at the let
ter as if turned to stone. Then he touched a
| lighted match to it and watched it burn away
TO ashes.
THAT is over" he said, aloud. ~ have
| been expecting it. / have seen it in her
face, and yet had not the courage to ask
her about it"
1t was sultry July day, the railroad
journey dusty and fatiguing, and Miss
Martha was very glad to step out of the
cars at Roseville. She walked slowly up
the dusty road leading to her cottage. 1t
was nearly three months since she had left
| home, and during that time she had neither
written nor received a single letter. She
had not given Eva her address, and no one
knew where she had gone. She had wished
to cut herself loose from the the past, hop
| ing to forget it, but she had not forgotten,
and her heart had not lost its dull pain.
Recollections Of Tom stung her as she saw
the familiar streets and stores. Perhaps he
and Eva were married.
"You don't mean to say that's you, Miss
Marthar' cried familiar voice, and Miss
Martha paused beneath the shade of a
spreading elm as Mrs. Marsh came hurrying
toward her. "Well, you've come too late.
Love laughs at locksmiths, you know. It's
all over-Eya's gone of with him, and
they're married by this time, / haven't
doubt"
Miss Martha staggered back and put her
hand over her eyes. The shock it was to
her to hear of Toms marriage showed her,
to her modification, that all hope had not
been crushed from her heart, as she had
thought.
I'll expected it," she stammered.
'Well. it's more than any one else did. He
went off soon after you left and no one
thought to see him again. But back he
came yesterday, and eloped with Eva late
last evening. o, it was wicked, it was
scandalous; and the whole story is all over
town. 1 wonder now if you know about
Miss Somerby?'
NO." said Miss Martha, white to the
lips.
We'll, it seems he was engaged to this
Miss Somerby, a rich old maid. She is mad
enough at being Tilted. Somebody tele-
graphed to her father, and he was here this
morning."
''Whatl Tom engaged!" cried Martha
in amazement.
'Who said any thing about Tom? You
must be wandering in your mind. 1t is
Arnold Edgecourt I'm talking about"
Without another word, without the slight
est excuse, Miss Martha broke away from
the hand of the friendly gossip, and almost
ran down the street. When nearly at her
own gate she rushed blindly against some
body, and looking up with hurried excuse,
saw-Tom.
Martha" he gasped, forgetting for the
moment in his excitement the gulf between
them. "You have heard it all! see it in
your face. Come right in; you look really
i'll. did not know you cared so much for
Eva But the scandal will all die out, and 1
know that Arnold will be good to her. He
sent me telegram saying they were mar
ried in Briefly early this morning. He was
to marry Miss Somerby next month, but he
never loved her; he was tempted by her
enormous wealth."
By this time they had reached the cottage
and gone into the little darkened parlor,
where the shutters had been carefully
closed by old Hannah to keep out dust and
flies.
Tom" said Miss Martha, laying her
hand on his sleeve; ''can you ever forgive
met I see every thing very plainly now. 1t
was not you 1 heard say man was a fool
to engage himself to woman older than
himself. Your voice and Arnold's are so
much alike, and did not know of his en-
gagement" And then she told all she had
heard when she had gone to the old cabinet
for spoons the evening of the supper.
Martha" said Tom, in his manly way,
II never loved any woman but you. did
not know you were older than ], for you
never spoke your age, and it would have
made no difference to me anyhow. thought
Of Eva only as child, and knowing of his
engagement, of which he had forbidden me
10 speak, it distressed me to see his attentions
TO her, for / saw that she was learning to |