The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-24
MISS MARTHA.
CONCLUDED.

mol lOOhlUH ucI uGcl WITCH AAbOlA ASUSO-
court came with Tom to call. She had
never seen this brother before, but be was
like Tom in every way that she liked him at
once He was, however, more man OF the
world than Tom, and while Toms face wore
a look of frank good nature, Arnold's was
clouded by an expression Of melancholy and
discomfort. This Miss Martha Rscribed 70
those secret troubles Of which Tom had
spOken and she wondered If some woman
had Tilted the handsome lawyer.
Several weeks passed BY and Miss Martha
was no longer her former bright cheerful
self. She did not know what II was now u
be without that sharp pain st heart, and the
estrangement between herself aud Tom
seemed to grow greater every day. be
withdrew more and more INTO himself, ana
she made no effort no restore the old pleas
ant relations between them, She watched
him closely and saw that he seemed an
moved and distressed at ArnOld's decided
attentions to Eva. Once she heard him re-
mORstrate with his brother. but Eva's name
was the only word she caught distinctly
she thought Tom jealous, and afraid that
the girls heart would be won from himself:
alt must come" Miss Martha would
murmur to herself 81 must offer him his
freedom. Why cannot be brave and do it
st once? he loves Eva, but he is not free
to win her, and ArnOld's attentions pain
aud trouble him. But how can l give MIN
up? l will wait just little longer"
Thus from day to day she put of the evil
hour in which she was 20 see her dearest
homes crumble to dead ashes. She shud-
dered when she thought Of spending the
rest Of her life without Toms love.
One evening the two young men came by
invitation TO the cottage 10 supper Miss
Martha sent them into the garden to smoke,
while She with EYa'S assistance, was busy
LAYING the table with the best damask and
china. Presently she went into the parior
20 get from the old cabinet which stood be-
Il. 4 NVr1w ING
which had belonged to her grandmother.
The shutters we're closed, but the windows
were open, and the low uluTmur OF voices
come to her ears. She knew the brothers
we're Just outside on the rustic bench, and
she WAS about to close the cabinet and
speak 10 them, when she heard Tom
voice utteriug words which seemed to fail
on her heart like drops of molten lead.
at is a great mistake for man TO engages
himself to a woman older than himself. He
Is sure to repent soon or late. l was fool,
and now that love Eva with al my heart
as ] have confessed e. you, l wish the other
was in Guinea. And what am To do? Ny
honor binds ne 10 her-c0nfouad II all.
Miss Martha did not wait TO hear ATuold's
answer. She walked slowly and falterIngly
from the room, aud went upstairs to the
spare chamber, where she locked herself in.
The young men wondered why supper
was so late, but just as their patience was
entirely exhausted Eva came 10 call them,
and then went in to fud Miss Martha
already seated al the head OF the small table
laid for four. She made no excuse for delay,
and the supper was so excellent that the
young men forgot all about their veXatiOu.
The evening passed very quietly, Miss
Martha evidently making an effort TO be en-
teTtainiHg; and seeing this, Tom and Ar
mold left very eSrly, the latter, as Miss Mar
tina noticed, having hardly spoken TO Eva
since supper She thought TINS was out OF
respect for his brothers feelings, which had
so lately been revealed TO him.
The next day Tom was surprised In his
Office By the appearance OF old Hannah,
who quietly laid a letter on his desk and
went out again.
The Young doctors face grew very white
as he read what Miss Martha had written.
Without explanation or excuse she request
ed that their engagement might be at an
end, and said that as It would be better that
they should not meet for while at least,
she was going to her aunts in another town
10 stay several months. Eva would remain
at the cottage with old Hannah.
Fer some time Tom sat gazing at the letter
as # turned 10 stone Then he touched 3
lighted match to 1t and watched it burn away
n ashes.
THAT is over" be said. aloud. 81 have
been exy ecting it. have seen it In her face,
and yet l had not the courage to ask her
about il.
It was a sultry July day, the railroad jour
ney dusty and fatiguing, and Miss Martha
was very glad 10 step out Of the ears at Rose
vile. She walked slowly up the dusty road
leading 10 her cottage. II was nearly three
months since she had left home, and during
that time she had neither written nor re-
ceiyed single letter. She had not given
Eva her address, and no one knew where
she lad gone. She had wished to cut her-
sell loose from the past, hoping 10 forget It,
but she had nos forgotten, aud her heart had
- Al ~ IN
stung her as she saw the familiar streets and
stores Perhaps he and Eva were married.
you dOn't mean 10 say that's you, Miss
Maytha?" cried familiar voice, and MISS
Martha paused beneath the shade OF a
sDTsadfng elm AS Mrs. Marsh came hurry
lafe. Love laughs at lOcksmiths, you
know. It's all over-Eva's gone off with
him, and they're married by this time, L
haven't doubt"
Miss Martha staggered back and put her
hand over her eyes. The shock il was to
her to hear of Toms marriage showed her,
10 her modification, that all hope had not
been crushed from her heart as she had
thought
I'll expected IT," she stammered.
"Well, it's more than any one else did.
He went off soon after you left, and no one
thought 10 see him again. But back he
came Yesterday, and eloped with Eva late
last evening. Oh, it was wicked; IL was
scaGdalOus; and the whole story is all over
town. l wonder now if you know about
Miss Somerby2"
NO." said Miss Martha. white to the
well, it seems hs was engaged to this
Miss SOmerby, rich old maid. She Is mad
enough at being Tilted. Somebody tele-
graphed to her father, and he was here this
morning to learn the facts Of the case"
What! Tom eDgaged?" cried Martha, In
amaZement
who said anything about Tom2 You
must be wandering in your mind. 1t is
Arnold Edgecourt I'm talking about"
Without another word, without tae
slightest excuse, Miss Martha broke away
from the hand of the friendly gossip, and
almost ran down the street Whsn nearly
at her own gate she rushed bliPdy against
somebody, and looking up with hurried
eXruSe, saW-IOm.
''Marthap' he gaspe6 forgetting for
the moment in his excitement the gulf
hetWeen them. ''Yed have heard it all I
see il in your fg1e. Come right in; you
look really i'll. zdid not know you cared
so much for Eva: But the scandal will
all die 0dt, and | know Arnold win be
good 81 her. He sent me a telegram say
iss they were married in Briefly early
this morning. He was to marry Miss
SOmeTby next month, but he never loved
her: he was tempted by her enormous
wealth"
By this time they had reached the cottage
and gone into the little darkened parur,
where the shutters had been carefully
closed by old Hannah to keep out dust and
flies.
"TOm," said Miss Martha, laying her
hand on his sleeve, ''can you ever forgive
mo? l see everything very plainly now.
1t was not you heard say a man was fool
to engage himself to a woman older than
himself. Your voice and Arnold's are so
much alike, and l did not know OF his en-
g2gement" And then she told all she had
heard when she had gone TO the old cabinet
for spoons the evening Of the supper
Martha" said Tom in his manly way
81 never loved any woman but YOU l did
not know you were older than |. for YOU
never spoke of your age, and it would have
made no difference to ME anyhow. |
thought of Eva only as a child, and know
ing OF his anRapamanL of which he had