Frostburg mining journal., 1889-12-07

| ted that young mans acquaintance.
| But the Squire's nephew proved OF a
surly, unsOciahle nature. and showed no
! disposition to meet Arthur's advances even
| half way.
| Arthur at length concluded to let him Sc
| verely alone, and turned his attention to
| Mrs. Andrews, who was n kind. motherly
| woman. fond OF talking. and of a genial.
| coniiding nature.
She hal taken a great fancy to Arthur,
| and he found 1t easy to draw from her all
| that she knew or surmised concerning her
| niece's love affair.
| But she could tell him very lttle. and it
| was substantially the same as he had heard
| from the Major.
Is her cousin in love with her?" asked
| Arthur, with a start of surprise.
| Yes; he has been in love with her for
| years, and has asked her hall dozen times
| to marry him. He was kCeny disappoint-
| ed when she became engaged to Major
| HartWeu. but bore it much better than
| had expected His wedding-Eift to her was
as handsome as any hing she received, and
| he could i'll afford such present. for his
| income Is very small. and he is partially
| dependent on my brother. l think he is
syn bent on winning her and probably
| thinks sho Will consent to marry him at last
| from sheer weariness ut his pei sstence.
| But think that scarcely possible"
The day following that on which he had
! had this conversation with Mrs. Andrews,
| Arthur was walking through field with tho
Squire. who was explaining his method of
| fertilization, when all at once they were
startled by a loud Good morning. Squire.
| uttered in clear, feminine voice.
| They turned and saw a young woman
| staining on low stilc which separated the
| field from IL tiny orchard, in the middle OF
which was a small cottage. ovcrgrown with
| vines.
"Good-morning. Rose" said the Squire,
coldly, and then continued his conversation
| with Arthur.
The young woman appeared little
| pigucd at being thus summariy disposed
OF. and tossed her head pettishly. her bold
black eyes fixed on Arthur, whose young,
| athletic figure evidently took her fancy.
| But she did not speak again. and the
Squire soon moved away from the vicinity
| OF the stilc.
Il hear that Rose Ellis is back again, :
said NJ :. Andrews, at the dinner table.
! Yes, l saw her this morning" said the
Squire.
| w"rc rid of her Tor overland Mrs. An
drows sighed. Her grandmother told me
| that she had excellent wages and was get
ting along well. l wonder what has in
,duced her to return.
Pure deviltry. of course" said tho
/ Squire. shell have tho whole neighbor-
hood by the ca in, Il weeks time. Rose
| isn't happy unless she is the central figure
OF a perpetual br0iL"
she is very handsome girl" said Ar
thur, but Of IL very coarse style"
Her beauty has been her bane," said
| Mrs. Andrews.
Her grandmother used to be housekeepcr
| here IL great many years ago, but lately she
| has lived in little cottage the Squire gave
! her, about mile away. Rose has almost
| broken the poor old woman's heart she has
| an idea that her beauty will pave her way
into a higher sphere than that in which she
was born. and IN some way she manages to
| make the acquaintance of nearly every gem
| tomHn who comes into the nclghbOrhOod
Then a fuss OF some kind is always sure to
! follow"
Il believe she would stoop to anything to
| gain her end" said the Squire. she is un-
-crupulous to the last degree. and utterly
| without dclicacy or refinement. | beg yCu
| to avoid her Hazard. or you may have "A
she is extremely arttul and her beauty and
| uuGHcty make her dangerous.
Neither Lois nor Henry made any remark
on the subject; but, glancng at the latter,
| Arthur saw that his face was scarlet, and
that Ii IS hands shook rs he took Il cup OF
rolrnc Il servant banded him.
| Evidently he has had some experiences
of the wile- Of the fair Rose" thought
Arthur, and felt very sorry for him.
But. Il Htllc later. pity was changed to a
| very different emotion.
| The SGure's household retired early. as
| is customary in tho country, and ut ten
O'Clock that night Arthur was on his way to
! his room.
scrap of paper folded like note lying Just
| outside his door. He picked it up, and,
! opening it, read as follows:
Meet me to- night at the big oak tree near
| the pasture gate will ho there at eleven.
| and you must not fail to come. | must and
| will see YOU.
Arthur could scarcely believe that the
note was intended for himself. and yet his
| curiosity was excited. and at eleven
| o'clock, feeling restless and unable to sleep
,t.,. ln,l NJ ma limit
| That old oak tree if only TO kill time, As he
! ncarcd the oak tree he heard voices raised
| in angry dispute.
He crept closer, and could distinguish tho
| forms of Il man aud a woman standing
! 'ucinE each other. The woman was speak
| ing now, AMI Arthur paused.
| Il tell you once for all that / won't wait
! any longer, she was saying. in fierce.
| SulIen tone. I've waited long enough.
| I've come back to make you keep your
! promise, and you can't put me OF again
| with excuses. II you don't look out you'll
| get yourself into trouble"
"nushl you can't be too careful what you
| say" and Arthur, to his amaz ment, recog-
| uiHrd the low, cautious voice as that Of his
| hosts nephew. i tell You it will como all
| right if you only have II little patience.
Ev.ry ono says she cant l;vo long, and
when | have Il little money to Eless myself
| with you'l sec tAat | won't forget YOU. Ii
you'll only keep quiet II! nave matters set
| tied in six months time"
That's lust what YOU said last year, and
tho year before, and the year before that.
| While In having II 'nttio patienca' you'll
| be getting married to Lois Drayton. Oh,
| I've had things told ne! There's them who
watches oHt for mo. No. you'll marry
| mo now and We'll wait together for your
| cousins money"
81 tell you it would bo Madness for me to
! take such step. oSa, do listen to reason.
| | wouldn't come in for n cent if you were
| my vile. Wait II while, and do make up
| your mind to 90 away for Il few mo- nths,"
NO, YOU can't throw no more dust in my
| eyes. II you'd been honest and meant
| what pou said, you wouldn't have put mo
| off so loar. And if | had known you ~
well three years ago as | do now, | wouldn't
| hayo taken any palt in cheating your cous-
! IN. Id have let her marry her gentleman.
| Hush, hush. Rose, for Heavens sake
| 1t would ruin us both if you should be over
| heard"
who s to overhcar me? I rathcr guess
| the.e amt many iolks hcrcabouts cut o
| their beds at this hour.
| - till you can't b. too careful. Come.
| Iot's walk towa' the cottage; we can talk
Us We go along.
They move away, and Arthur heard nc
! more.
But he had heard enough to FIJI him with
| the k'en"st Sus2!c.oa and distru~t.
| Was il possible that at last ho had
| stumbled on q Glow to the mystery thai
! had battle linn cVor since lis arrival at
she must havo told Lois some big yam
| aganst In" Major" thought Arthur.
But chen he remembered that Lois had
! declared positively hat she had heard
| ro,hin@ against the character Of her be.
| lrotGcd.
hc lay awake until dayl ght. eositatini
over the matter, and when at laqt he fell
Dsleep it was with the determination to un-
rUVCl tho mystery Mt any cost.