Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-25
md generally being as cool as a cucum-

sleeps like William Tell; so hurry, dear"
breathed a fraction more freely. At
all events, she was to have another fe-
male in the escapade. That would be
more respectable, perhaps, when the af-
fair came to be talked of. But how had
she persuaded that little milk-and-water
thing to brave her Argus and the pro-
prieties at such an hour and for such
purpose?
actually pinched myself to see if l
was really awake. The whole thing
seemed like an ugly dream, and l could
scarcely realize that single day could
have crowded into it the overturn of all
my hopes that had almost grown to cer-
tainties; the substitution of so unex-
pected rival; and, more than all, the
unheard of fact of Anna Belton stepping
so far out of her modesty as to make me
a formal declaration of love!
Mol | was wide awake. The whole
series was only too real, and there was
Bette Blythe standing at our door in
the gray dawning. She was really going
to run away with her cousin. She had
in very fact driven me to desperation,
and she had actually persuaded the
White Mouse to rebellion.
1t was really remarkable what won
derful sway she could exert over all who
came within her influence. And yet
there was no tremor in her voice to show
the slightest agitation. By George, she
was going to clandestine matrimony as
she would to her breakfast!
"Hes ready He's going with us, of
course" Miss Blythe definitely said.
"You told him l would settle that?"
An lrrepressible groan of rage and
despair burst from me- They did not
notice it as Tom answered:
"Oh, yes. But you must be careful to
explain fully as soon as you can."
''Leave him to me-" was the short an
swer. Now wake him."
''In one minute; he's all dressed" Tom
replied, cheerily "But you ought to
know that he thinks"- He stepped into
the hall and drew the door gently behind
him.
He was only gone a moment. A sound
of whispering and half smothered sob
came over the transom; light step
tllppttt up tuc llttli, ttlltl l. Oill It-eUueTeu
with his hands pressed over his face.
Then | knew he had told her how 1 had
spoken. | felt a thrill of triumph that
she heard had borne the news SO calmly
"Wake up, old fellow"
Tom stood by my bedside, and l saw in
the moonlight something of the express
sion on his face it had worn the night be-
fOra II Iia1 nut hou-ax-a,,
Il arl awake. | have no dressing to
do" l said, gloomily.
We were soon ready. Walking stealth
lily as burglars, Jones and reached the
foot of the broad stairway. The back
door stood wide open, and the moon
light, family reflected from the dark
panels, showed two nufled and yelled
figures awaiting us.
You'll take Bet Tom whispered
hoarsely in my ear. Once more he
pressed both hands against his face as If
to repress his feelings.
Like an animated statuc l advanced
and offered my arm to the yelled figure
nearest NE. For | was resolved She
should never have one ray of triumph
over me to brighten the blackness of the
wrong she was about to do her doting
father.
noticed the little hand she rested on
my arm trembled slightly. She had
some feeling, then? It was more than
had suspected, but l only grew stonier
and stonier. I set my face like flint.
Tom approached her companion very
quietly, drew her arm through his with
more Difference thau l thought necessary
with such weak, inane little brides
maid, and led the way out of the hall on
tiptoe. Silent as the grave we followed.
As we stepped out into the moonlight
l felt rather than saw the yelled face by
me turn up TO mine. | shivered from
head to foot, but that perhaps was part
ly owing to the bitter cold of tine dawn,
and looked straight ahead. Then once
more / heard that bursting but repressed
sigh; once more the tremor of her frame
was so painfully evident that almost
wayered in my belief of her heartless-
ness. Did she at last repent? Did she
really feel the heavy crime she was com
mitting toward her father? Or, great
heaven! could there be the barest posi-
bility that she had awakened? Could she
feel that even now it was not too late
that she had not utterly thrown away
heart she could never replace? There
was such delirium in the bare idea al
most framed the wild hope into words:
but pride as much as honor came to my
rescue. | was pledged to Tom, and
was silent.
Softly and swiftly we followed the
other couple over the crisp, cracking
surface of the snow; down the broad
lane, under arching trees that siftei
the moonlight through them in sill
yer spangles; through snowclad hedge
rows standing like an army of specters
at present arms.
Here we found the sleigh, the impa-
tient horses blowing out great clouds of
mist, and the more impatient groom
blowing out greater clouds of smoke
from his black pipe.
"Wel, leftenant, we's pretty nigh
a-freezed," was his salutation. "All
ready, sir, and un's in fust rate trim: do
the nineteen miles III two hours sure"
Tom answered never word. He
almost lifted the light form of his brides
maid into the back seat, and as he tucked
the buffalo around her with most un-
necessary care l saw she had pressed her
handkerchief to her eyes and was sob