The Princeton union., 1891-01-29

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!
"He's ready. He's going with us, of
course" Miss Blythe definitely said.
"You told him would settle that?"
An irrepressible groan of rage and
despair burst from me. They did not
notice it as Tom answered.: .#E
ooh, yes But you must be careful to
explain fully as soon as you cam -.
''Leave him to me-" was the short an
swer. ''Now wake him. '."" .t
ssIn one minute; he's all dressed p Tom
replied, cheerily. "But you ought to
know that he thinks He stepped into
the hall and drew the door gently behind
him. .. ... .t..- ..--..1 g..
He was only gone moment. A sound
of whispering and a half smothered sob
came over the transom: light step
tripped up the hall, and Tom re-entered
with his hands pressed over his face.
Then knew he had told her how 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 saw in
the moonlight something of the express
sion on his face it had worn the night be-
fore. 1t died out, however, as I spoke.
s'I am awake. I have no dressing to
do," said, g4oo1nily.
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 Uwo 1nuu1eu s5uu vv1Ied
figures awaiting us.
"You'l 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 statue I advanced
and offered my arm to tho .veiled figure
nearest me. For I 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 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 7 thought necessary
with such a 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
I felt rather than saw the yelled face by
me turn up to mine. I shivered from
head to foot, but that perhaps was part
ly owing to the bitter cold of the dawn,
and looked straight ahead Then once
more l heard that bursting but repressed
sigh; once more the tremor Of her frame
was SO painfully evident that I almost
wavered 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 I al
most framed the wild hope into words:
but pride as much as honor came to my
rescue. [ was pledged to Tom, and I
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 sifted
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 inlpa-
tient horses blowing out great clouds of
mist, and the more impatient groom
blowing out greater clouds of smoke
from his black pipe.
"Well, leftenant, we's pretty nigh
a-freezed," was his salutation. Gail
ready, sir, and un's in fust rate trim: do
the nineteen miles in 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-
|
handkerchief to her eyes and was Sob
bing bitterly. Poor fragile child! l
thought. To feel thus for the folly Of
another, and that other I cast one
glance, my first, at the still figure on my
arm. Not a sign was there of any emo
tion, not single ray Of feeling, not a
spark of repentance
s'Ill drive," Tom said to me shortly.
He looked very grave and pale now as
he bundled his bride into the front seat
with much less ceremony than he had
used to her bridesmaid. Then he gath
cred up the reins as I stepped in beside
the still weeping blonde.
We were off.
CHAPTER VII.
VICTORYl
@~e "a IN