The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25

essential. You're not riledy' ss
..Riledr' Unanswered, with for6 xm-
ness 81 can't see how you lTe red
me badly, but You must pexn6i ma to
say you have done yourself great in
Justice
Tom seemed a little puzzled.
"And you have done palpable, q
gross injustice was grand now, doing
the outraged yirtuous-''to an old per-
son who
''Oh, bother the old person. he inter-
rupted, carelessly. But then You have
really twigged what I am up to in the
| morning. -.--
I'm the morning." A ray of light be-
gan to dawn upon me. ~
Eyes, in the morning. I'm going to-
| now, old boy, don't look scared-rm
going to run away and be marriedr'
To be married! And in the morning!
The ray of light was . binding CLEAN
| now. I was literally staggered. I
dropped into chair with big lumpin
my throat
"Yes, my boy, I'm to be married in the
morning. You know I'd have told you
before, but Bet and only fixed it yester-
we came along; and, for reasons You
know SO well, we must be quick; I'm
done for if the old party suspects. But
| it's all fixed-you're to help me-"
81 help you" I gasped, family.
"Certainly. Who else? You must come
with US; you must he best man: you
must go with us to Uncle Bob and help
Bet explain all about the
"Lieut Jones!'-I rose stifhy and stood
at attention as Toms eyes opened very
| wide-"Lieut. Jones, I have no criticisms
to make on your cousins course If she
desires to-
Desires! the devil! Why, man, she
planned the whole thing arranged the
Christmas frolic, suggested all the de-
tails of the elopement, and she specially
insisted you should aid US"
"She did?' .4 ~. ~
Eyes; she said you were 30 fond of us
both you'd be glad to do it."
Oh, the cruel grill the hardened. in
| grained firt! This was why she had led
! me on then. Tom kept on, speaking
| rapidly, but with no sense to me in the
sound till caught:
$50 you see, my dear boy, it was she
originated the affair; she planned every
detail, not l."
"Stop sir!'' cried, hoarsely-my face
must have been purple; it felt black
"you have right to run away, perhaps
to stoop to anything you please-the
lady is to be your wife. But, by heaven!
| you have no right to compromise your
cousin by saying these things"
"Theres something in that, Tom NUT
tered, thoughtfully; II mustn't let Bets
name get out, of course. I only told you,
| you know" I gave a grunt that was
| meant for scalding sarcasm. ''Bet will
| tell you all about it herself"
"Oh, she WILL" painted.
"To be sure. She told me she cou Id
make it all right with you. That's what
we were talking about when you drove
over the cad today"
Oh, the cold blooded, heartless CO.
quette! To deliberately plan torment
for me thus! And he, my old school
! mate, my bosom friend! If the soft
! answer that turneth away wrath had
been deadly weapon I should have
| used it then. But it wasn't, so said no
word, only strobe about the room, loosen
ing my neckcloth by fierce and sudden
tugs.
Tom, lying fiat on his back and putting
little wreaths into the air, eyed me with
some wonderment. At last he said
cheerily:
"Well, old boy, don't take on 50. It's
as sudden for me as it is for you, and a
deuced sight more serious to boot. So
I'll count on you of course in the morn
ing"
Count on me! I tell you I'll have
nothing to do with it. Your uncle Blythe
would never
Popcorn! say, Bet VIII make it all
right with Uncle Bob. verify believe
he'd have helped US if we had dared to
trust our secret"
"Helped you! Mr.. Blythe not object!
And still you are mad enough to risk let
ting the tongue of gossip soil the name
of the woman you love! You plan this
mad escapade far away from his roof
when he might have consented"--
''To WHAT Tom sat bolt upright on
the bed, resting on his hands, behind
him. A strange, ftful contraction swept
over his face, followed by a very grin of
agony. was merciless.
"To your union with his daughter" I
said sternly.
My words struck him like bullet. He
clenched his teeth until the cigar drop
ped in two from them; his face grew
crimson, its muscles twitched convul-
sively and his chest heaved with des-
perate struggle for breath. Then, with
gasping sob, he buried his face in the
pillow, while his whole frame shook and
trembled like an aspen.
was panied, shocked. Tive sight Of
1.-the tears of bearded men, is always
touching beyond expression. and besides
I was at loss to account for the great
violence of his sudden emotion.
became more puzzled as looked, for
he still sobbed and shook with the weak
ness of child.
walked up and down the room and
had no real claim on Miss Bette. She
had refused me once and never allowed
| me to address her again; could not but
confess that. True, she had let me think
there was hope, but what woman is
strong enough to refuse to sniff the in
cense burnt upon the altar of her vanity:
Then Tom, too, was an old and tried
friend. Poor fellow! how he shook and
groaned in his great agony! and if vici-
Gus fiirt had cruelty played upon my feel
| ings through him, why should let that
react upon his head?
No! I would be Roman! a very
Pythias! would crush down my own
feelings into my heart; would brave the
mayor'S aDoer. T xEOul6 die IF cypofboro6
rage, but her feline triumph should be
cheated Of its prey.
Yes, would do as she had planned for
me. Iwould see her wed another, would
give her away at the altar, and not one
of the thousand torrents that were rend-
ing me should give her the expected
pleasure of its evidence
Twice Tom had raised his head and