The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-06-23
will be no such person here after to-

will be no such person here aiter TO-
night"
..She-she is not sick-not dying, is
shey'' questioned the colonel hastily.
"Oh, not at ALL answered the young
lady, with a pleasant laugh, "only she's
going to be married to Lord Littel to-
night"
married." said the colonel, half to
himself; then aloud: ''Can you tell me
where she lives? I must see her upon
Understanding very important"
"It's not very far from here. The house
in the park that you see on the left be-
longs to her father. But you must hur-
ry. It's after $3.50, and you've scarce an
hour"
Colonel Pember turned and walked
hastily along the road. "Married-mar-
ried-then I am too late. Perhaps not.
l don't understand it. I can't" And
with every step he took came the re-
frain," Married, married, married"
The next day Densmond was all ex-
citcment. The daughter of the Hon.
Crofton Burton had refused at the last
moment to marry Lord Lorloose Littel.
And then, too, the appearance of this
suspicious looking American. Thatmust
not be overlooked. Surely there was
something in this, s'if those as knew
would tell" But the Hon. Burton, M.
p, would tell nothing, and as Lord Lit
tel had left for town that morning he
could tell nothing, and Miss Burton, she
had declared that she would tell moth
ing. So there the matter rested, and
like every other sensation was almo
forgotten 10 days after.
Almost, 1 say, for Colonel Pember had
taken lodgings at the Pot and Kettle,
and scarcely a day passed but he made
his way to The Oaks, the residence of
MI. Burton, who seemed to have a great
fancy for his company.
Nor was it long in becoming common
talk that the colonel had returned to
Miss Burton on the eve of her intended
wedding a blood stained miniature, the
token of a schoolgirl love that she had
given to Herbert Creston, the village
ne'er do well, and that as she saw the
picture, stained with his lifeblood, the
old love had returned, and she had re-
fused to marry any n else.
So passed a year, and again summer
visited the little village, sprinkling the
lawns with yellow dandelions and the
hedges with all manner of sweetness.
From the many farmyards came the
sounds of cattle and of fowls upon the
clear and silent air, mingled with the
distant dashing of brooks. The trees,
respondent intheir garments of green"
cast grateful shadows for the MONDAY
wanderer. And then the gardens! Roses
everywhere. The air was one mass of
perfume, delightful and overpowering,
the first sweet gift of summer.
During this time Miss Burton had not
been seen by the village folk, save on one
or two rare occasions, and those who had
viewed her reported that she was looking
pale and sickly, and that she scarcely ever
spoke. Now, however, at the approach
of summer she had thrown off her
gloomy aspect, laid aside the "inky
cloak" that she had insisted upon wear
ing and had even gone so far as to ride
out into the country, and always with
the colonel as a companion.
One night they walked together in the
gardens that almost entirely surrounded
The Oaks. There was no other light than
that of the stars. AS Amelia paused the
colonel placed his arm about her and
held her hand.
"You have my answer he questioned
softly.
She raised her face slowly. Their lips
met.
"It is 'yes?" he asked.
And she answered eyes"
Far away in the wilderness Of Virginia
the night winds gathered and whispered
and murmured and muttered, and with
their dark pinions brushed the bright
cold drops of dew that chung to the
blades of grass above the unmarked
grave of Herbert Creston.-Exchange.