Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-26


The Colonel Is man OF power, accus.
toned to control men. could not with.
stand his look or be unmoved by his tones.
II he meant well TO Orrin and to her, what
was I that l should withhold Orrin's name.
Talteringlv 1 was about to speak it when a
Sudden sound struck nv ears, and rising
impetuouslv I drew him to the window,
blowing out the candles as 1 passed them.
''Hark!' l cried, as the rush of pound
ing hcofs was heard on the road, and
"Looll - added, as a sudden figure swept
by on the painting white horse SO well
known by all in that town.
'Is it he?" whispered the dark figure at
Yuv side as we both strained our eyes after
Orrin's fast vanishing form.
'.You have seen him, returned; and
drawing him back from the window, L
closed the shutters with care, lest Orrin
should he seized with freak 10 return and
Getect me in conference with his heart S
deadlieSt enemy.
Silence and darkness were now about us,
ana the Colonel, as if anxious to avail him
self OF the surrounding gloom, caught my
arm rs | moved to relight the candles.
wait, " said he; and [ understood and
stopped still.
And SO we stood for a moment, he quiet
rs a carveu statue and restless but obedi-
eut 10 his wishes. When he stirred care
fully lit the candles, but did not look at
him till he had donned his cloak and pulled
lis hat well over his eyes. Then L turned,
and evcing him earnestly, said:
"If I have made a mistake
But he quickly interrupted me, averring:
.aN- ]. l.
good lad. Philu. and if it had been you"
lie did lot say what he would have done,
hut lett the sentence incomplete and went
On: 4 know nothing of this Orrin Day,
but what d woman wills she must have.
VIII Won bring this fellow-he is your
friend. is he MOTTO Juliet's house in the
morninCo Her father is set on her being
The mistress of the new stone house and We
three will have to reason with him, do you
see?''
Astonished, I bowed with something
like awe. Was he so great-hearted
as this? Did he intend to give
up his betrothed to the man
whom she loved. and even to plead her
cause with the father she feared? My ad-
miration would have its vent, and uttered
some foolish words of sympathy, which he
took with the stately, rather cOndescending
grace which they perhaps merited; after
which, he added again: You will come,
will YOU not?" and bowed kindly and re-
treated toward the door, while L, abashed
and worshipfUl, followed with protestations
that nothing should hinder Inc from doing
lis viii till he had passed through the door
1yav and vanished from my sight.
And vet I 90 not want to do his will or
take Orrin to that house. l might have
borne with sad equanimity to see her mar
ried 10 the Colonel, for he is far above me,
bur to Orrin-ah. that is bitter outlook,
and I must have been a fool to have prom
iSed aUght that viii help to bring it about.
Still, am not her sworn friend, and if she
thinks she can be happy with him, ought
I not to do my share toward making her so?
/ wonder if the Colonel knows that Orrin,
too, has been building himself house?
did not sleep last night, and have not
eaten this morning. Thought robbed me of
sleep, and visit from Orrin effeat ualiy took
away from me whatever appetite might
have had. He came in almost at dsvbreak.
He looked disheveled and wild, and spoke
like man!who had stopped more than once
at the tavern.
"Philo,-' said he, 'you have annoyed me
bv vour curiosity for more than a year; now
YOU can do me a favor. VIII you call at
JUliet's house and see if she is free to go
and come as she was q week ago?'
"Why?" I asked, thinking perceived
reason Tor his bloodshot eye, and vet being
for the moment too wary, perhaps too un-
generous, to relieve him from the tension of
hIs uncertainty.
''Why?" he repeated. 'Nfust you know
all that goes on in nv mind, and cannot
keep one secret to myself?"
"You ask me to do you a favor, " quietly
returned. ''In order to do it intelligently,
must know why it is asked" "
Il do not see that" objected Orrin,
''aud if YOU were not such q
bov I'd leave you on the spot and
do the erranG myself But YOU mean
no harTn. ana so I will tell you that Juliet
and l had planned TO run away together last
night, but though l was at the place of
meeting, she did not come, nor has she made
any sign to show ne why she failed me. -
'Orrin, " 1 began, but be stopped ME with
an oath.
'sNo sermons" he protested. 81 know
what you would have done if instead of
smiling on me she had chanced to give all
her poor little heart to you.
Il should not have tempted her to betray
the Colonel" / exclaimed hotly, perhaps
because the sudden picture he presented TO
my Imagination awoke within me such
torrent of unsupported emotions. Nor
hHOulN nave uTSeu ltT 10 ny WIN hiO ny
night and in STEALTH
you do not know what you would do, !"
his rude and impatient rejoinder. ''Had
she looked at you, with tears in her arch yet
pathetic blue eyes, and listened while you
poured out your soul, as if heaven were
opening before her and she had no other
thought in life but you, then"
"Hush"' / cried, ''do you want me to 60
to her house for you, or do you want me to
stay away"
y Gu know | want you to go.
"Thcn be still, and listen to what l have
to say. | will go, but you must go too. If
YOU want to take Juliet away from the
Colonel you must do it openly. L will not
abet YOU, nor will 1 encourage any under
handed proceedings. Il"
You are a courageous lad" he said, Sin
other mems affairs. viii you raise me
tomb if the Colonel runs me through with
his Swurd?"
81 ar least should not feel the contempt
for you which / should if you eloped with
her behind his back. -
''Now you are courageous on your own
behalf, laughed he 'and that is better
and more to the point" Yet he looked as