Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-02-05

tho'ts would go; for she could not
believe what she had seen.
ssNo, mol" she whispered, wiring
| ing her hands. cit wasn't SJanley!"
as though every feature of his, every
look, were not familiar and dear to
her.
| She found herself mounting the
hill, and reaching the rustic seat
where they had sat together so often,
she sank down, and there she pressed
her face on the rough wood and tried
/ to think
Think? She could not. One thing
blinded her to all besides and stifed
thought-the remembrance Of that
which the mirror had rehected-of
that sight Of the man she loved and
had trusted tenderly, bending to ca
ress another woman.
He did not love her, then. She was
plaything merely-a source of
whimsical amusement for him during
the idle hours of the summer. He had
not cared for her-he had not been
serious He had meant to make love
to her while the mood was upon him,
and to break the bond when he should
tire Of it, Else could he be making
love to another woman?
And she had cared for him SO deep
ly-her faith in him had been so en-
tire! And her love for him had SO
filed her heart and her life! Oh, it
had been no light matter to her.
And now-what? She could not find
relief in tears, as she asked herself
that wrenching question.
She felt frozen, benumbed. She sat
motionless, aid stared up at the first
faint star in the gray sky.
s'Nettie:' voice called, impera-
lively and half impatiently.
It was Stanley Mayhew's, and he
followed it. He came hurrying up
the bank.
''Mrs Loney told me she saw you
coming up here. What on earth
You must have known I'd be there.
Or, no; told you the eight O'Clock
boat, didn't I? Well, I got through
before I thought I should, and here I
am.''
He threw himself down beside her,
a shadowy form in the dimness, and
patted her hand by way of greeting;
nor did he notice that she drew it
away quickly and far.
He was laughing, and when he had
paused moment to get his breath, he
began to explain why.
CHOW, what do you think?" he de-
manded. "Now guess. I've just seen
Eleanor Wells. What do you think
she told me?''
Nettie shivered.
ssWen, they're engaged" said her
lover, with an air of triumph.
What did he mean? she wondered.
But she did not care. What differ
ence could anything make now?
"They're engaged" he repeated.
s'The trouble is over, the storm is
ended, and they've got into smooth
waters, with the matrimonial port in
plain sight. Of course she's told you
all about Leonard? Talked to you
about him for hours, suppose?"
''No?' he went on, though Nettie
had not spoken. 'I can't believe it!
And you such chums!"
"Well, I've told you about Leonard,
you know-my next older brother
who went to California in April to
a mining syndicate = the
cleverest fellow you ever saw.
''Well, he and Eleanor were engag
ed. Really, didn't she tell you? Why,
that's part of our family history, for
it's an old affair. The Wells children
and we uns' used to play dolls and
tag together, you know, and it has al
ways been a settled thing, somehow,
that Eleanor would marry Leonard
when they got old enough, because
5hey were always sweet on one an
other.
''Well, they had been regularly en-
gagged for q year or SO, when 10, and
behold! early this spring they had a :
jiff
cit was about young Spaniard,
hat Eleanor didn't care any more
lbout than she does about me; but
he spat grew into a quarrel, and the }
quarrel ended III Eleanor's sending .
Jack poor Lens ring and all his plot
,graphs and tin types and presents. e
81 believe there was a packing box g
ull Of them, and Fred and arranged
he door. But we were really broken A
Up about, all Of US. Mother was actu-
lily sick for week. And Len-Len