The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-15

itt / thought she was free, ana tla' nc
cared for the other girl. l suppose she
was only civil to me because am ms
friend.n and he betook himself to peu'
and after a nights tossing and tumbiing'
went back to London by the earliest pos
s;ble train. without taking formal rare
well of the ladies OF the Cottage.
Agnes was angry, very angry; she hau
been most cavalierly treated, as she con-
sidered. and longed for some one on
whom to vent her ire.
.sWhat did he mean by running away
without even word of thanks for the
ciyility they had shown him? lie must
have thought she was making eyes at
him-iust as if she cared a fig about nm,
or looked upon him from any other point
of view than that of guide to the East
of Londonl How horribly conceited men
were! Oh, there comes Gus! he might
have left us alone for one day." and she
went to open the door, and quarrel with
her visitor if possible. Gus was little
bit cross, too, for Florrie had had to join
her relations in Normandy, and he and
the Oldhams were left alone, and things
were fiat in consequence, though ne
fancied he should like it.
.It's very nice being together again
isn't it. Aggie?' he said as he entered.
81 don't think SO at all, she answered,
promptly. II dare say you don't mss
Mr.. Nugent, but | am very dull without
Florrie, and so are you, l should think,
she proceeded, rather spitefully.
81 only want you, as you know" he
said. not as pleasantly as usual. MI
gent has promised to come and marry
us, and really think you might make
up your mind to it soon."
} "Marry you! Never! l have told you
SO a dozen times at least" (Which was an
|, exaggeration) "and now, after flirting
with Flerrie all the summer, you have
, the impertinence to ask me again, and
, to ask Mr.. Nugent to marry us, just as
if we were engaged. don't wonder he
went awayl I'm not surprised at al
noww and Agnes suddenly flung herself
on the sofa and burst into tears.
: AS to Gus, he stood and gazed at her
omen mouthed. For one thing, he hae
never seen her cry since she was tiny
+ child; for another, new idea had pene
= trated his slow brain, and the worlC
d seemed upside down.
J, "Florrie! had he dirted with her? No
d he had only been hind. He had had
e strange new feeling for some time
n which had alternately made him happ.
n and miserable, and which must hav'
d BEEN
@ Here his meditations were interrupted
o by Agnes, who had left off crying AM
4 recovered her temper.
n "Dont stand there with your moutl
h open, Gus" she cried; ''you do look
le silly. Just make up your mind, ono
and for all, which Of us you really car
ID for, and take the next boat for Dieppt
i. The Marshes will be there till the end c
y the week"
NJ Mr.. Bartlett took her advice, and
few days later Mr.. Nugent, who wa
re irving to work off his bitter disappoin
I'd ment, got letter from Dieppe with tt
l astonishing intelligence that Gus an
Florrie were engaged, and that h
Sc friends affection for Agnes was OF a
as tally different kind to what he had bee
e. led to believe. SIN fact" the letter Co
cluded, "Agnes knew me better than
d did myself, and was perfectly rig
III when she brought dear Flo down to sti
ed with her. Don't forget that you ha
ne promised to marry us"
DE Hard work was very pleasant to M
MS Nugent that winter; he threw himst
nd into all the multifarious duties of TOW
es parson, with an energy which had
re root in a happy heart To be sure, not
all ing had been said or settled, but for
OF that he knew we'll enough that he won
he not be working alone for long, and tn
there VA Gus wedding to look forwa
to. Before the wedung->-.- came OH
prospects had very satisfactory changes
and it was as vicar instead of curate that
he asked Agnes to be his wife.
1--WE shall have work enough, and tc
: spare" he told her, when the momentoui
question had been answered, "but you
--'' - snn~ that. will YOU, my darlingT'
|, | be publicly reneated