The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-06-17


ing, when l heard them talking in the
veranda outside.
My darling" Amy was saying. ''why
think any more of such nonsense? /
know you love him. Accept my willing.
willing sacrifice, and be happy with
him; he loves you."
My sweet Dolly, You are too. too
generous. / think Fatima's story all
nonsense, and, just for that reason, l
cannot, will not, purchase happiness
ut the cost of your misery. l resign
him-but what do l say? 1t is you he
loves"
Pm sure it's you, Dolly" resumed
Amy. Hes always looking ut YOU. /
wouldn't say SO if l didn't believe it:
and how You can pay any attention to
that stuff, | don't know"
''Gou're quite wrong, Amy. He all
but told me it was you. It's absurd of
You to pretend not to know it
Something followed | did not hear;
then the tone of the voices changed. and
Amy said, with the sound of Il cholled
sob:
You're horrid girl; you want me to
die, and then you'll marry T-H-Bob."
Il thought you loved me-" sobbed
Dolly, in reply; and now you're plan
ming my death. ! hate you, Amy"
Lunch was a sombcr meal that day.
The girls would speak neither to me
nor to one another; only Mrs. Girdle-
stone tried To keep mp the conversation.
II was just as bad all day: they snapped
at one another and they snapped 1T the
little widow. and. worst Of all, they
snapped at me until really the hOrrid
thought that had struck me before
would have seemed less horrid if only |
could have relied on the efficiency of
the bloodhounds of Justice; but the po-
lice happened to arrest murderer
about thcn-he walked into the station.
and that stayed my fell imaginin"s.
Besides, | should not have known which
To murder any more than l had known
which To marry.
In very low spirits. I started on a
solitary walk next afternoon, thinking
l would come to definite conclusion.
/ arrived ut no such thing. l knew
they would both refuse me - matters
stood, and, although justly inccnsed. l
knew should not have the nerve To-
take the alternative fate offered The
rain came down, and | turned TO go
home To my surprise, l met Mrs.
Girdlcstone.
why have you ventured out such q
day as this?"
''Oh, had some shopping to do
Could not have done il for you?''
Indeed, no." she answered. with
laugh and blush.
or one of the scrvants?"
mo; servants chatter So"
Its a secret, them"
''Wcll, yes. it is-from you, anyhow,
Mr.. Thompson"
Did You get what you wantcd?''
''YcS: have it here"
noticed she was carrying 4 fair
sized parcel wrapped in tissue paper.
''Oh, let me take il for you?-'
''Will you be very careful? I don't
know what l should do if it came to
grief"
promised to guard it like my life
and we walked on. Presently the rain
stopped. the sun came ont. and we
heightened our walk. She was very
kind and sympathetic, and at last
told her the whole story. Nothing
could be nicer than the way she spoke,
and l became quite engrossed in our
conversation. 1t lasted up to the very
door, and we paused in front of the
house, while she stopped to say last
word, pressing my hand and telling me
'how grieved, how very ~
| At this point butcher-boy came
| along, carrying basket. The boy ran
against Mrs. Girdlestonc's parcel. There
! was sound of breaking glass l
| dropped the thing, but not before my
! hand was covered with blood-as l
! thought.
oh, oh, oh!'' I cried; my hands cut
| to bits
/ The widow looked at-it.
Il must stanch the blood cried.
Nonsense, Mr.. Thompson. It's not
blood: it's-it's-well. it's nv hair
wash and she blushed very becom-
ingly.
''IIair-washr'
Yes, she murmured; my hair is
| Woman, don't hesitate at such a
moment"
well, pale red; and that dries a
| lovely auburn"
Her hair might have been blue for al
| cared She was a charming woman.
and had rescued me from a fearful
temptation and one of my cousins from
an carly death. | proposed to her on
the spot.
Then | went in and told my cousins.
! Ihey Icaped up and rushed into one
| anothcr's arms, eXclaiming, in furious
tones: The old cat,''
We were married in a month. Ihave
no word to say against my wife; only II
is a fact that she had nothing but one
! Thousand dollars n year, which ceased
on re-marriage. Each of the girls had,
as | said, fifty thousand dollars.
So my visit to Fatina cost me ex.
actly fifty thousand and one dollars
l think the law should be impartially
administered, and all such persons put
in prison.-St- James Gazette.