The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-03-09

break my heart by refusingI You won't
be flckle-afraidF'
"N-no."
'.Go in now and sleep some viii tap at
your door in time. Good night Be stead
fast.
The deck was lonely after she went in.
According to schedule the boat was tied
up q little after four O'Clock. They began
unloading freight. The passengers stray
gled of, secured their baggage and disap-
peared.
Itwas very hot morning ashore, but the
Captain saw a stalwart gentleman, buttoned
to the throat in an ulster, lead q slim. tall,
| housekeeping lady in q rain-coat and gray
veil, down the gang-plank
Good Lord / didn't mean to see them.
can't give any information" muttered the
old salt to himself.
And he got behind pile of boxes and
waited, with broad smile on his face, for q
| full minute.
It seemed all settled, but it was not.
Somebody had heard besides the Captain.
| As the fugitives halted moment in sup
posed safety, Mr.. Cumberland CALAMITY
| handed Mrs. Winterfield down the plank,
and then her daughter.
.Claricer p called the elder lady. "Come
and identify your trunk and then we win
all go up In the carriage together"
| II Paul Drexel was startled by this sud-
den contretemps he did not betray it. He
had been In too many emergencies to be at
all abashed by one defeat
| He lifted his hat in polite good morning,
gave his services in getting their luggage
| separated from that Of other passengers,
assisted the ladies' into the carriage and
barred his very handsome head as they drove
away.
Clarice stifed sob or two under her VEIL
but at length, remembering how magnif-
Gently Paul had behaved, disarming by his
manner, she felt sure, any suspicion that
either Of them had had any idea Of misbe-
having, she abandoned her tears for q quiet
smile. She was certain in her heart that
so cool man as Paul would find some other
way out of the difficulty.
Mrs. Winterfeld was in q profound study
for the entire hour it took them to reach
their own door. She was shocked at the
extreme measures Clarice had taken; she
was perplexed. dumbfounded. Nothing
quite so unconventional had ever before
been attempted by one Of her family.
She contemplated the rather detected
figure opposite her. deaf or Indifferent to
Mr.. Cumberland's efforts at conversation,
and her heart was touched.
Every whit like poor sister Constance"
she sighed. "just so impetuous, just so re-
CARELESS of consequences"
As the day went on Clarice grew more
and more puzzled in her own mind as to
whether her attempted flight had been pur-
posely intercepted, or whether it was mere
1 49, L. 4 <~rs~ hr1 -
at the critical moment.
Her doubts were set aside in mid-after-
noon, when Mrs. Winterield, having had
her nap, sent for Clarice to come to her
room.
my child, sit down." was her rather
agitated greeting.
Clarice obeyed.
ssls it true, Clarice, e it true that you were
clipping with that young man this morningr'
Clarice was prepared to be defiant
ut Is true"
"Where were you goings'
Il was going to his mothers house."
"And you were to be marriedP'
"Yes."
"Do you think that dignified thing for q
young lady to DOR
"Quite as dignifled a. for the woman who
should be my mother to try to mako me
marry man / hate-a man old enough to be
my grandfather"
Hush, Clarice, am astonished at you"
Clarice's unwonted temper took . sudden
turn in the direction Of tears. She burst
into a storm Of them, and they were relief
from the days complex emotions.
''Auntie, don't mean to be disrespectful,
but say what really do think"
"But, Clarice, have no desire except for
your good. want to see you established.
know more of the world than you. A PEN
niless man may oe very agreeable to look at
or to talk with, but what sort Of . home do
you suppose he could furnish his wifeln
"How do you know Paul is pennilessl He
earns good salary and has all the world
before him."
i And Clarice fell to sobbing anew.
"Dear me-" said Mrs. Winterfeld," / had
no idea you felt this way. supposed II
was the most frivolous filtration. You can't
have Ixnovvn him moro than throQ vvaa1ra u