Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-05-24

in it. But she was not asleep, and her
face, protected from view by abundant
wraps and the growing obsourity, had
gradually settled into an expression at
once wistful, pathetic and resigned.
Maxey, whose power of observ ation
was not wholly matter of eyesight,
had become annoyed and solicitous, but
ne took pains not to betray this fact
AS for philosophic, middle aged,
handsome DIR. Lamar, the prime cause
of the whole trouble, he was supremacy
unconscious of any unhappiness OH the
part of his friends. He sat bolt upright
all by himself on the front seat, his
hands busy with the reins and his at
tention apparently completely absorbed
in scanning the road as far as he could
zee in front of his swift team The truth
is that DR.. Lamar had blunderngly and
unwittingly touched upon a topic ex
ceedingly disagreeable to his friends be-
hind him when he mentioned his APP
preaching marriage with the wealthy
Widow Forsythe.
If DR.. Lamar had only known how
fine and handsome he appeared in his
pretty neighbor s eyes, it would have as
tonished him a great deal, and he would
have been henceforth very much more
discreet in his remarks If pretty Ellen
Maxey had imagined how well her keen
and penetrating brother had guessed her
secret undoubtedly she would have dis
simulated great deal of glee end mer-
rimcnt in Il despairing endeavOr to have
thrown him off the scent for the heart
beats proudly in the breast of girl like
her, and this was such a secret rs she
would wish might die with her.
They were all young. The doctor was
the eldest, and he had barely reached
40. He was brilliant young man who
had made something on name in the
medical world by a recent remarkable
publication, and whose practice was al
ready established on firm basis
Julian MaXey was 2S. He had painrcd
several hundred very unsuccessful pic
lures. Their merit, however, was plain
lv recognized by his friends, by reason
of which accomplishment ne was called
an artist He was enabled to keep up
this nonlucrative pursuit and TO satisfy
the craving in hls soul for counterfeiting
, the beautiful by comfortable annuity
which he had inherited from his grand
, mother.
, Ellen Maxev was % Since the death
, Of her parents she had held the proud
though exactin position Of her brothers
housekeeper. tnau which there ,vas only
one other place in the world she would
nave been better satisfied TO occupy.
: On Went the spirited horses while the
/ merry bells jin.led and the steam spout
. ed rhythmicailv in four eyanescrnt
} streams from their nostrils and the foot
falls beat time on the hard .ust. The
; lmitlcss black shadow settled down
- slowly over the sea and the land. There
was growing flush in the east which
might herald 2 coming moon and It fad
ing glow in the west which betokened IL
departed sun, but these We're but poor
torches for n wayfarer cropping in the
!. dark end the stars overhead, ob@curcd
by a pale mist, We're puny candles
; against the observation Of the deepening
gloom.
i On went the mettled span toward the
faint light in the heavens made by the
distant city, held up to their steady gait
Q by tight rein i'll the doctors guiding
hand and encouraged by an occasional
= stimulating cry. The ocean, stretching
out from the base Of the cliff INTO he
I darkness upon 5hc right, crew more iuky
from moment TO moment and the fading
4 white landscape upon the left became
exceedingly sketchy and incomplete.
I Still the four spout;ng clouds of steam
4 and still the merry jingling of bells
upon the frosty air
e All at once there is a break in the
. rhythm of the hoof beats. From steady,
i onward, arrowlike flight the leigh sud
= denly moves lateraly and almost stops
d with terrific abruptness, narrowly cs-
a capes overturning, trembles, Jerks, snaps
L III every joint and moves ahead again.
3 eli. whoa, there What the deuce -
J. DR.. Lamar was Oh his feet, and his
strong arms We're reiniug III the fright
d e,,cd horses. In another minute he was
out i'll the anow. cumming beside them,
clnging to the bride. A plunge, snort,
d d shiver, d great juggling of the bells,
d AID the sleigh had come 10 4 standslill.
whoa, Polly! Gently, Dolly" said
i the doctor, persuasiyely stroking the
noses of the tiembling and greatly
II frightened animals, while his two COM
# panions, who had jumped into snow
Il bank, struggled out into the road and be
r gan to put themselves to rights.
= Now, what the deuce 90 you suppose
Il made those horses shy sou
IS There is something back there on Jhe
b road, l am very positive, said MaXey.
2 And II thought | saw somehody
d Jump over the fence and run across The
l. field" added his sister.
/ "What you saw on the road were the
old settecs on the edge Of the cliff prob
A. ably" said DR.. Lamar. "NOu know the
/, Somerset summer hotel is just back Of
II us here, and i'll the warm weather there
IL is a row of seats just above the bath
y houses by the roadside. / noticed what
% ! took to be the gangway leading down
Y to the beach Just before the horses