The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-11-04


Will you please tell me where you are
going, Grace?" he said.
Miss Granville turned slowly from
the window. Il think you had better
call me Miss Grenville," she said
every well. Miss Grenville, will
you please tell me where you are going?'
Certainly. | am going to visit my
aunt at Wilmington. And your"
81 am going to Wilmington, too-on
business"
care your Then you must know
about the stage from Readsboro."
We'l-er-the fact isl don't. l
decided to go very suddenly-tbat is
l couldn't find out about the stage"
"Oh," said Miss Granville.
CT have no do lbt it will be all right"
observed Marden, for want of anything
better to say.
ooh, no doubt" said Miss Grenville,
perhaps for the same reason.
But when they arrived at the terminus
of the road they found that it was not
all right. Tue stage was there, but
every available seat but one had been
taken. 1t was growing late and Miss
Granville was in despair.
"You might go, and let your maid
come in the morning." suggested Mar
den, heroically.
The maid was interviewed on this
subject, but was fearful and obstinate.
Then the young man made another
suggestion. The maid might take the
available place and he would drive Miss
Granville over. He was sure he could
get horse. He would have to do it
on account of his business, anyway.
Miss Grenville defended her position,
bat finally surrendered. The maid took
the place in the stage, and Marden
went in search of horse.
Half an hour later, as the sun was
going down behind the hills, cadaver-
ouslooking horse with almost sus
picious dislike to anything like haste
drew single buggy out of Readsboro
and along the pretty road towards Sad
awga and Wilmington. They passed the
outskirts of the village, and the road
began to grow prettier and more closely
hemmed in with trees. The cadav err
ous-looking horse moved on with an
uncertain jog that was cross between
run, a trot and walk. Miss Gren-
vile made some attempts at conversa-
ton, but her companion rewarded her
with silence. She m lde several I'M
complimentary remarks about the horse
which were witty enough for an ordi-
nary occasion, but Marden did not
smile; he did not seem to be paying
attention, so finally she subsidized into
her side of the carriage and said no
more. Presently Marden spoke.
"Grace," he said, edo you know why
/ am here?"
Miss Granville looked up innocently.
"Of course" she said. "You told me
you had to come on business"
(Which was not true, as you know.
| came because l followed you from
Boston,"
Crank, how dare youl' said Miss
Granville, Indignantly.
Marden went on quietly: "And while
L was standing out there in the bag
gage-car-"
81 thought you were going to fall
out of the door," commented Miss
Granville, suddenly. Marden looked at
her and then went on again quietly:
=" You did not see me. You were
surprised that was on the train when
i spoke to you"
cob" said Miss G 'enville.
When l was standing in the bag.
gage-car | made up my mind that YOU
would have to talk to me. am more
sure of it now. l have been trying to
see you for two months, and you have
been able TO keep me from it. / know
l am brute, and that if you wanted to
throw me over and not tell me why, |
ought to stand it; but l can't, and I'm
through trying"
Miss Granville laughed uneasily. A
bough from one of the trees that skirted
the road hung over within reach, and
she snatched couple of its leaves as
they passed.
81 wonder what kind of tree that
is?" she said. Marden took the green
bough from her hand and threw il into
the road.
"Grace," he said, "why did you
throw me over?'
Miss Granville looked around for
some avenue of escape, but none pre-.
scented itself, and she leaned back again
in her carriage.
" Perhaps she said at length, "per-
haps it is better to talk it over. Though"
(hurriedly) "you know it can never
make any difference now"
"Of course" admitted Marden, 6
never even dared hope that"
1t is very hard to TELL" continued
Miss Granville.
" Did you ever care for me?" asked
Marden.
Miss Grenvile looked at him with
wondering eyes.
do you think that l aoanted to do
it?" she said.
Marden's face frightened wonderfully.
|" Do you mean that somebody forced
you to give me up?" he asked.
" Nobody, only l had to. One can't
marry anybody when that person isn't
what they thought he was" said little
Miss Grenville, getting confused in her
generalization, but with very con-
vincing air. Marden made no answer,
and his companion continued: You
know / always said never could marry
anybody who was not perfectly gentle
manly and"
"Do you mean that am not a gen.
tleman," said Marden.