Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-19


Yes, he would meet her, and hear her.
But if her statement did not satisfy him
they must part forever.
An hour later Mark Eliot and Nellie
Pemberton met at the spot the girl had
indicated. He was the first to arrive,
and was standing under the street lamp
near the lodge gates when she came up.
Both were unwontedly pale, and the
stiffness of their manner betrayed their
agitation.
81 received your note, he began
very quietly, his eyes fixed earnestly on
his sweetheart's sweet white counte-
nance.
"And you have come to hear what 1
have to say?'' she replied, looking fear
lessly in his face.
eyes; shall we walk into the wood?
No one will hear or notice us there
"NoI" she cried, sharply, firmly.
FHere will do. [ shall never take an
other step at your side until you have
expressed your regret for the way in
which you treated me last night-until
you say that you are quite satisfied that
you wronged me, and that 1 am not to
blame for what took place last night.
He stared at her in silence. Her
passionate outburst surprised him, as
he spoke 1t was very coldly-
"This place will suit me. What have
you to say?"
Read that!'' She handed him the
note her tenter had brought her on the
previous afternoon.
He took the crumpled sheet, smoothed
it out, and holding it so that the light
from the gas jet overhead fell full on it,
he read it through
"Who sent this to you?'' he de-
manded.
"When 1 received it I thought it was
from you, and L only discovered my
mistake when 1 found Mayhem waiting
for me upon the bridge. He gave that
note to my tenter yesterday afternoon
in the warehouse, and paid the wench
to say that you had sent it. 1 had never
seen your writing, and so L went, ex-
pecting to meet you and not Walter
Mayhem
"My God!" Mark cried, CT never
thought of such a thing as this. And
that scoundrel played such trick upon
you?''
"Ask him-ask my tenter-you will
then be satisfied that L am speaking
the truth. -
''But,' he asked, ''why did you
81 had only just reached the bridge
before you and the others passed. L
should have gone away at once but he
stopped me, and just then heard voices,
and not wishing to make a scene or to be
recognized, remained quiet.
cit seemed to me that you tried to
hide yourself from me-that you were
frightened of me seeing you.
81 was frightened, and l nearly tainted
when l heard your voice. 1 saw that L
had fallen into a trap, and 1 knew what
you would-must think, and that thought
nearly killed me-. -
''But you ought to have spoken to me
and exposed the scamp. Had [ only
known the truth then 1 would have
broken the Internal scoundrel's neck!'
Mark exclaimed, all his doubts concern |
ing Nellie having vanished now and his
love, his faith in her stronger than ever
before.
''I called after you as soon as I recov-
cred, but you did not hear me, and 1 |
would have run after you had he not |
prevented me-. -
'What was the brute's intention in |
decoying you into the wood?'' he asked, |
his voice filling now with its wonted bit |
terness.
IL Lcll Llo Indt ue lONSu W dSA |
me to become his wife, - she replied, |
slowly.
"And what reply did you make to |
that?''
Need you ask?" she replied, lifting |
her great eyes and letting them rest on |
his own for u moment. ''Of course [ |
refused his offer; then he grew angry |
and attempted to kiss me. l screamed, |
burst from him, and ran away.
"And you waited last night to tell me
all this?''
eyes, and instead of listening to me
you chose to insult me-to heap further
scorn upon me when my heart was al
ready nearly breaking!'' she cried, her
eyes dim with unshed tears, her voice
with feeling.
81 was fool, Nellie, ever to doubt
you'll he exclaimed, "and a greater
fool still to treat you as 1 did last night.
But the thought that you had deceived
me, and for that cur made me mad and
l scarcely knew what 1 was doing. It is
all over now, Nellie, and you forgive
me, don It you?"
In reply she placed her arms around
his neck and sobbed out her emotion on
his breast, and he forgot all his pain and
trouble of the last twenty-four hours in
kissing his sweetheart g fair wet face.
''As tor that sneak - Mark replied
as he and Nellie went through
the lodge gates and strolled under the
trees. "I shall never rest contented I'M
til have given him the greatest thrash
ing he ever had!''
"Pernsps. Mark" she suggested,
1T would be better TO let the whole
matter drop now?'
He shook his head IN the resolute
logged way characteristic of him when
1e had made up his mind on anything
''No! No! Nellie. We cannot afford
70 let the mean hound off so easily for
many reasons. If he were to find that
lis contemplate trick brought no trouble
% him he might be induced TO repeat it.
And If we say nothing about tiff we
AXE no steps to expose him, the fellow
will go about the town telling all sorts of
tories of your meeting him in the wood.
4 man of his character will hardle scruple
o do any mean thing.
"That is so, - she replied.
"Besides, - he resumed, cit is abso-
utely necessary, Nellie, that your good